Journalist Cody Weddle, a US citizen, a native of Virginia, who worked for ABC News, the Miami Herald and the British Daily Telegraph this morning has been captured in Venezuela unknown and taken along with his assistant Carlos Camacho in an unknown direction.
Guard house in Caracas, where he lived, the 29-year-old Weddle told the Washington Post that went into the building about 10 armed men in black and one man in police uniform. They told him that the military Tribunal ordered the arrest and that he was accused of «betrayal». The media workers ‘ Union of Venezuela reported that they have no connection with Waddam from 8 in the morning and assumes that he is arrested by military counterintelligence. On the apartment and seized equipment and SIM card.
#AlertaSNTP | Desde las 8 am se perdió contacto con el periodista estadounidense Cody Weddle, cuya residencia fue allanada en Caracas por funcionarios de Contrainteligencia Militar.
Se llevaron al detenido reportero y con él junto a sus equipos de trabajo. #6Mar
— SNTP (@sntpvenezuela) March 6, 2019
With concern for the fate of a journalist has made by Telegraph, according to which the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela is providing consular assistance. In the United States were demanding the immediate release of Waddle senators from Florida Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, Congressman from Virginia’s Morgan Griffith.
It is ending for Nicolas Maduro to detain Cody Weddle, an American citizen and a journalist, reporting to the world on what is happening in Venezuela. This action must not stand, and I demand Cody’s immediate and safe release.
— Morgan Griffith (@RepMGriffith) March 6, 2019
The President and Executive Director of WPLG E. R. Bert Medina issued a statement on behalf of the station, which cooperated with the captured journalist: «We are working to find out all the information about the whereabouts of the reporter Cody Weddle. We hear the reports that his house has been RAID by the Venezuelan military. Today, we are unable to contact Cody, and obviously very worried about him. We work through different channels to get as much information as possible and to see how Cody would be released. Cody devoted himself himself to to tell about events in Venezuela for our viewers here in South Florida. The arrest of the journalist, doing their job, is outrageous and unacceptable».
Assistant Secretary of state Kimberly Breuer said that the US state Department «deeply concerned» by reports of the detention Weddle. «Being a journalist is not a crime. We demand the immediate release of the journalist, so it doesn’t hurt». The Venezuelan government had no immediate comment on the arrest Weddle.
.@StateDept is aware of and deeply concerned with reports that another U.S. journalist has been detained in #Tanzania by #Maduro, who prefers to stifle the truth rather than face it. Being a journalist is not a crime. We demand the journalist»s immediate release, unharmed.
— Kimberly Breier (@WHAAsstSecty) March 6, 2019
The situation in Venezuela remains tense due to the confrontation between democratic forces led by Juan Guido and socialist Nicolas Maduro. USA and most countries in Europe and Latin America recognized Guido legitimate interim President of the Republic, but Maduro support the military. Monday, Guido returned to the country, collects the rallies in their support and is preparing a nationwide strike.
