American accused of being a mercenary

PRESIDENT Hugo Chavez said authorities have detained an American man and are interrogating him, suspecting he could be a “mercenary” plotting to destabilise the country if the opposition loses the upcoming presidential election.

Chavez told reporters that under questioning the man said he had been a US marine.

“The man has military training and he refuses to give information. That in itself is suspicious,” Chavez said on state television.

Chavez did not identify the man nor detail the accusations against him. But the case has the potential to ratchet up longstanding tensions between Venezuela and the US less than two months ahead of Venezuela’s presidential election.

Chavez said the man was detained while crossing into Venezuela from Colombia on a bus in the middle of the night. He said the American had entered the country illegally.