Univision reporter Jorge Ramos briefly ‘detained’ by Venezuelan authorities

Univision reporter Jorge Ramos was reportedly detained at the presidential palace in Caracas Monday by order of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and later released.

The network announced Ramos’s detention on Monday evening.

Attention: A @Univision team, headed by @jorgeramosnews, is being arbitrarily detained at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas. They were interviewing @NicolasMaduro but he didn’t like the questions. Their technical equipment was also confiscated. https://t.co/c45tB0E4er

— Univision News (@UnivisionNews) February 25, 2019

{mosads}Ramos, who was among a group of U.S.-based reporters conducting interviews with Maduro, was reportedly “arbitrarily detained” after he asked questions the Venezuelan president “didn’t like.”

Univision said Ramos’s team was also detained at Miraflores Palace, and their equipment was confiscated.

Kim Breier, assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs, tweeted that the State Department had received word of the detention and insisted upon their immediate release.

“.@StateDept has received word the journalist @jorgeramosnews and his team are being held against their will at Miraflores Palace by Nicolas Maduro. We insist on their immediate release; the world is watching,” Breier wrote.

.@StateDept has received word the journalist @jorgeramosnews and his team are being held against their will at Miraflores Palace by Nicolas Maduro. We insist on their immediate release; the world is watching. #Venezuela

— Kimberly Breier (@WHAAsstSecty) February 26, 2019

Ramos and his team were released later Monday in Caracas, according to Univision journalist Daniel Coronell, who said he spoke with Ramos. Univision also confirmed their release.

Coronell added that the news crew’s equipment was confiscated, as well as the material for the interview that Maduro “didn’t like.”

Confirmado: Estoy hablando con @jorgeramosnews. Él y los otros miembros del equipo fueron liberados. Los equipos y el material de la entrevista que no le gustó a @NicolasMaduro fueron confiscados.

— Daniel Coronell (@DCoronell) February 25, 2019

Happy to report @jorgeramosnews and the @Univison team have been released. Here he is on his phone in his hotel after he was released this evening. pic.twitter.com/Pl2P1B5SHs

— Univision News (@UnivisionNews) February 25, 2019

Jorge Rodríguez, Maduro’s minister of communication, denied Ramos had received unfair treatment, and called Univision’s accusation “a cheap show.”

“Hundreds of reporters have passed through Miraflores and have received decent treatment that we habitually impart to those who come to fulfill journalistic work, and have published the result of that work,” tweeted Rodríguez in Spanish.

X Miraflores han pasado centenas de periodistas que han recibido el trato decente que de forma habitual impartimos a quienes vienen a cumplir con el trabajo periodístico, y han publicado el resultado de ese trabajo. No nos prestamos a shows baratos

— Jorge Rodríguez (@jorgerpsuv) February 25, 2019

ABC News earlier Monday published an interview of Maduro conducted by Tom Llamas.

The U.S. has called for Maduro to give up his claim on the presidency in Venezuela and announced a new round of sanctions designed to pressure Maduro on Monday.

-Updated 9:47 p.m.