The United States has threatened Venezuela with severe consequences unless President Nicolas Maduro immediately release a senior aide to Juan Guaido, who was snatched from his home by masked intelligence agents in the early hours of Thursday.
Roberto Marrero, chief of staff to Mr Guaido, shouted out loud that Mr Maduro’s agents had planted two rifles and a grenade on him, Mr Guaido tweeted. On Thursday afternoon, 12 hours later, Mr Marrero was still being held.
John Bolton, the US national security advisor, said that the arrest of Mr Marrero “would not go unanswered”.
“Maduro has made another big mistake,” he added.
Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, also threatened to "hold accountable those involved".
Venezuela’s government has not commented on the 2am arrest, but Mr Guaido said that Mr Marrero had been taken by Sebin, the Venezuelan intelligence agency, and was being detained at an unknown location. Mr Marrero’s neighbour, Sergio Vergara, a pro-Guaido deputy, was able to raise the alarm.
Mr Vergara said around 15 Sebin officers threw him to the floor and "ransacked" his own home for around two hours, while asking where to find Mr Marrero.
Mr Marrero was able to send a voice message shortly before he was taken, and urged: "Look after the president".
The voice message was distributed by Mr Guaido’s press team, who also sent a video of another opposition politician, Carlos Berrizbeitia, showing damage to the door of Mr Marrero’s home and a broken lock.
Mr Guaido, the 35-year-old head of the national assembly, was himself briefly detained on January 13, en route to a rally.
But since he declared himself the legitimate president on January 23 he has been able to move freely throughout Venezuela and internationally, with the support of the United States.
Mr Maduro and Mr Guaido both claim to be Venezuela’s legitimate leaders but Mr Maduro, 56, retains the loyalty of the military and has control of state apparatus.
The White House has frequently said that touching Mr Guaido would cross a line and provoke a strong response.
Mr Guaido demanded the release of his chief of staff, saying that "we won’t be intimidated" by the "vile, vulgar kidnapping."
He said that Mr Maduro is weak and does not "dare" to detain him.
Elliott Abrams, Mr Trump’s envoy to Venezuela, agreed, saying that Mr Maduro is instead targeting Mr Guaido’s aides.
The United Nations said it learned "with concern" about reports of Mr Marrero’s detention, and urged all sides "to lower tensions and refrain from any action that could lead to further escalation."
Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman, noted that UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, whose team is currently in the country, and has expressed concern at Mr Marrero’s detention.
On Wednesday Ms Bachelet issued a strongly-worded condemnation of the situation in Venezuela, demanding that Mr Maduro allow her team to work unhindered, and highlighting more than 300 murders and abductions by the Venezuelan security forces.
