US seeks information on alleged "mercenary" detained in Venezuela

The United States was skeptical about a statement issued by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on Thursday regarding the alleged arrest of a US citizen who is believed to be a "mercenary." Washington added that US diplomats should be given access to the man, if President Chavez's statements are true.

The US citizen, of Latin American origin, entered illegally into Venezuela with geographical coordinates in a notebook, and a passport bearing stamps from visits to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, according to Chávez.

"We have seen the reports that Venezuela claims to have arrested a US citizen. We have not been notified by the Government of Venezuela about the arrest of this alleged US citizen," said to Reuters an official from the US Embassy to Caracas.

"If Venezuela has actually detained a US citizen, we are confident that Venezuela will meet its obligations under the Vienna Convention on consular relations and grant US consular office access to any detained US citizen without delay," the official added.