Venezuelan police have launched a nationwide search for alleged collaborators following the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro by United States military special forces.
The move followed a decree declaring a state of emergency, which came into force on Saturday but was published in full on Monday.
According to the decree, all police units at the federal, state and municipal levels have been directed to identify and apprehend individuals suspected of supporting the US-led operation that resulted in Maduro’s arrest.
The document described the search as a necessary step to safeguard national security and restore order following what authorities termed a foreign-backed operation.
Earlier, several US media organisations reported that the American military appeared to have received assistance on the ground during the operation.
According to the reports, a member of Maduro’s inner circle allegedly passed on information about the former president’s movements on multiple occasions, raising suspicions of a high-level internal breach.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s journalists’ union, the National Union of Press Workers, disclosed that at least 14 journalists were detained in the aftermath of the operation.
The organisation later confirmed that all the journalists had been released, though it expressed concern over press freedom amid the ongoing state of emergency.
Authorities have yet to comment officially on the identity of the alleged collaborators or provide further details on the scope of the security operation.