American Detained In Venezuela: Caracas Not Allowing Diplomats To See Timothy Tracy

Venezuelan authorities are not allowing US Diplomats to have contact with detained American filmmaker Timothy Tracy. Venezuela's government in Caracas is claiming that Tracy is a spy for the United States, a notion that President Barack Obama considered "ridiculous".

The Guardian reported that Miguel Rodriguez Torres, the Latin American nation's interior minister, reportedly had "ample proof" that Tracy was spying. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro echoed that sentiment, saying that Tracy allegedly funded Venezuelan student protestors that were angry at Maduro for allegedly rigging his election. According to state media, Maduro bested Henrique Capriles, a Venezuelan state governor, and leader of the opposition of late leader Hugo Chavez.

Tracy's friend Tuki Jencquel admitted that Tracy had contact with students in Venezuela, but was simply trying to gather information from both sides of the debate over the election results. A member of one of the student groups, Operacion Soberania, echoed that sentiment: "He said he was doing a documentary about the political situation here... He is being used as a scapegoat to cover the real problems this country faces," said Gaby Arellano.

Tracy, 35, of West Hollywood, Calif. had been in the country for a number of months prior to his arrest. His family pled for his prompt and safe return: "We have been living in a nightmare," the family told FOX News.

Obama said that the captivity of Tracy, who is charged with conspiracy, association for criminal purposes and use of false documents is "ridiculous". Maduro echoed the words of his late predecessor Hugo Chavez, calling a current American leader "Chief of the Devils". Chavez notably referred to George Bush as Satan in an address to the United Nations in Bush's home country's largest city. "I can still smell the sulphur," Chavez said at the podium, as Bush had preceded him in his remarks.