Caracas, Sep 14 (TIWN) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has claimed that a "US spy" was captured near two oil refineries in the state of Falcon, it was reported on Saturday.

In a live broadcast on state television, Maduro said the man was arrested on Thursday in the northwest state of Falcon where he was spying on the Amuay and Cardon oil refineries.  Maduro said he was "a marine, who was serving as a marine on CIA bases in Iraq".  "He was captured with specialised weapons, he was captured with large amounts of cash, large amounts of dollars and other items."