Actualité - Venezuela, US Unfair Arrest Strains Ties

United Nations, Sep 24 (Prensa Latina) - Venezuela Foreign Relations Minister Nicolas Maduro advised the UN General Secretary Kofi Annan on his 90-minute arrest at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport in New York on Saturday.

The head of Venezuelan diplomacy returned to his nation after being arrested in that airport and even threatened by the police, he declared in an improvised press conference.

We were object of an illegal detention by the US government, said Maduro who explained he was asked to raise his arms and separate the legs to be submitted to a corporal search.

He confirmed his passport and ticket were retained and that although they were finally given back it was late to take his flight to Caracas.

Spokespeople of the airport's Internal Security Department tried to justify the facts by alleging there are no evidence of irregularities in the search procedures.

However, in his condition of Foreign Relations Minister Maduro is protected by the Geneva Convention and does not need any corporal search.

The fact adds a new dosage of irritation to the already strained relations between Venezuela and the US.

Maduro insisted that his government remains in contact with the UN and that is seeking a group of attorneys to investigate the incident violating of international laws.

(Prensa Latina News Agency)