Caracas, August 12, 2012 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan National Guard have arrested a suspected US mercenary on the Venezuela-Colombia border and are currently interrogating the unidentified man, who is of Hispanic origin, said the country’s president, Hugo Chavez on Thursday.
The man was arrested on August 4th as he attempted to illegally enter Venezuela from Colombia on a bus during the night. He was carrying a US passport which had exit stamps from visits to Libya, Iraq (2006) and Afghanistan (2004 onwards) and allegedly tore up pieces of paper from a notebook in his possession whilst being apprehended. Chavez has since stated that the man had confessed to having previously served as a US marine.
Following the capture, the Venezuelan government voiced its concerns that the man was working in league with the Venezuelan opposition, and had entered the country with plans to destabilise the national political situation in the run-up to elections.
“Our attention is drawn to the fact that this has happened with just a few weeks till the elections, so we are alert,” said President Chavez. “The deadbeat opposition is capable of anything, but it had better not occur to them to destabilise this country,” he added.
Over 19 million Venezuelans are expected to take to the country’s voting stations on October 7 for the national elections, when incumbent socialist president Hugo Chavez will face conservative candidate, Capriles Radonski.
