Venezuela says US seized Maduro and Cilia Flores, demands fuel payments to Treasury

The Venezuelan Ministry of Hydrocarbons sent a document dated 28 May instructing airlines and shipping companies that fuel purchases must be paid directly into a United States Treasury custodial account. The annex cites a Treasury notice that the U.S. Department of State may receive Venezuelan funds via Fedwire, specifying the commodity (oil, gold, minerals, etc.).

A solidarity group announced that President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores have been “injustamente privados de su libertad en una cárcel del imperio norteamericano” for five months, calling the alleged kidnapping a violation of international law and demanding their immediate release while praising Cuban General Raúl Castro.