Cody Weddle,US journalist detained in Venezuela, has now been released

There are 36 cases of journalists held in Venezuelan custody this year alone, part of a sweeping crackdown on dissident voices by President Nicolas Maduro's regime. 

Last week, six Univision staffers, including  journalist Jorge Ramos, were briefly detained at the presidential palace in Caracas when a crew was interviewing Maduro. Ramos and the crew members were released a few hours later, but their equipment, cellphones and interview material were confiscated, according to Univision spokesman Jose Zamora.

Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Kimberly Breier said o that the State Department was 'deeply concerned with reports that another U.S. journalist has been detained. Being a journalist is not a crime.'

Cody's mother in Virginia said that she had first from him on Facebook Messenger, that he was 'fine.'