Venezuela responded by arresting five US oil executives previously detained under house arrest when the US deported Alex Saab, a Colombian financier, and supporter of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Jose Manuel Pinto Monteiro, Saab's lawyer, claimed he was kidnapped by the US on Saturday and will face money laundering accusations on American soil.

He was detained in June 2020 in the West African island nation of Cape Verde after the Trump administration's Treasury Department. The Trump state department alleged him of being engaged with Maduro insiders, "to run a widespread corruption."

The Trump administration also accused Maduro of rigging the election, however, Maduro won a landslide against a US-backed candidate, in the reelection.

The US has also made baseless claims against Maduro of "narco-terrorism."

The United States has been accused of eying oil in Venezuela, which the socialist government has nationalized and made it difficult for the US-backed corporations to hoard the fuel.