U.S. service member has been detained in Venezuela, according to officials.

 A U.S. Navy sailor has been detained in Venezuela, according to four U.S. officials familiar with the situation. The service member, a U.S. citizen, was detained on August 30 in Caracas and is being held by Venezuela's intelligence agency, SEBIN, according to one of the officials.

A defense official told CNN, "We are aware of reports that a U.S. Navy sailor was detained around August 30, 2024, by Venezuelan law enforcement authorities while on personal travel. The U.S. Navy is investigating and coordinating with the State Department. For further inquiries, we refer you to the State Department."

Another official confirmed that the sailor was not on official duty or authorized leave when he traveled to Venezuela, and it remains unclear why he went there.

A State Department spokesperson said, "We are aware of reports of the detention of an individual in Venezuela," but added, "We have no further information to share at this time."

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also confirmed that the U.S. is in contact with Venezuelan authorities to gather more details. "We are in touch, as appropriate, with Venezuelan authorities to try to learn more about this," Kirby said during a Wednesday press briefing.

The U.S. government has long advised against travel to Venezuela due to the high risk of wrongful detentions. According to the State Department’s travel advisory, security forces have held U.S. citizens for up to five years, often without notifying the U.S. government or granting consular access.

The detention comes during a period of significant unrest in Venezuela, as opposition leaders and several Latin American countries refused to recognize the re-election of President Nicolás Maduro in July. Protests following the election reportedly resulted in at least 11 deaths and the detention of hundreds.

Additionally, this week the U.S. seized Maduro's aircraft in the Dominican Republic, a significant move in the already tense relationship between the two countries. A U.S. official told CNN, "This sends a message all the way to the top that no one is above the law."

The sailor’s detention follows the release of nine Americans from Venezuela by the Biden administration in 2022, including the "Citgo 6," after five years of detention. In December 2023, the U.S. also secured the release of six wrongfully detained Americans and four others held in Venezuela.