Another American journalist has been detained by the Maduro regime, this time for covering Juan Guaido’s return to Venezuela this week.
Cody Weddle, a Virginia-born journalist based in Caracas, was arrested on Wednesday by agents of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s government following a home raid Wednesday morning. Weddle had spent the past few days covering the mass public demonstrations of support for Guaido, who has declared himself the interim president of the country.
Guaido, who is supported by the U.S. as being the legitimate leader of Venezuela, returned to the South American country after a tour of other Latin American states, an act that defied Maduro’s Supreme Court ruling that banned Guaido’s travel out of Venezuela.
The Venezuelan Union of Journalists issued a statement on Wednesday confirming Weddle’s detention, saying that they had lost all communication with Weddle and that his video equipment had been seized by counterintelligence officials in the home raid.
Several pro-Guaido members of Congress immediately weighed in.
“Completely unacceptable for [Nicolas Maduro] and his thugs to detain @WPLGLocal10’s Cody Weddle for reporting on the successful return of the legitimate Venezuelan President [Juan Guaido]. He must be released immediately and the U.S. will not stand for this kind of intimidation,” tweeted Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.
Completely unacceptable for @NicolasMaduro and his thugs to detain @WPLGLocal10’s Cody Weddle for reporting on the successful return of the legitimate Venezuelan President @jguaido.
He must be released immediately and the U.S. will not stand for this kind of intimidation! https://t.co/IiR0qpXO51
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) March 6, 2019
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., also told Axios’ Jonathan Swan that he is communicating with the State Department regarding the journalist’s detention.
“My office has been in touch with the State Department regarding the detainment of Cody Weddle — a Virginian and journalist. The Venezuelan regime must release Mr. Weddle immediately … ” Kaine’s office told Swan.
.@timkaine: “My office has been in touch with the State Department regarding the detainment of Cody Weddle – a Virginian and journalist. The Venezuelan regime must release Mr. Weddle immediately…”
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) March 6, 2019
Weddle’s arrest comes on the heels of Mexican-American journalist Jorge Ramos’ brief detention by Maduro’s henchmen in the presidential palace in the Venezuelan capital. Ramos and his team were detained after a botched interview between Ramos and Maduro. Their films were confiscated by security and they were subsequently deported and banned from entry back into Venezuela.
