Caracas - Venezuela issued a travel ban on Saturday for prominent US politicians as it also cracked down on US diplomats in the South American nation that has long had a strained relationship with the United States.
President Nicolas Maduro said the travel ban that included former president George W Bush, former vice president Dick Cheney, former CIA director George Tenet and several congressmen came in response to a US travel ban on Venezuelan officials.
He also said authorities had arrested a US pilot in south-western Venezuela for alleged “covert” activities. He did not provide further details.
Maduro alleged that US officials were involved in a coup attempt.
He also called for a reduction in staff at the US embassy in Caracas from 100 to 17, to mirror staffing levels at the Venezuelan embassy in Washington. He said all US citizens wishing to travel to Venezuela would require visas.
The US targeted several Venezuelan officials with visa bans in early February for human rights abuses and corruption, but did not name those affected.
Sapa-dpa