Miami reporter released by Venezuela

A Miami Herald reporter has been released to US diplomats in Caracas after 48 hours in detention, unharmed and in good spirits. 

Miami Herald Andean Bureau Chief Jim Wyss was detained late Thursday near the Venezuelan border with Colombia, as he reported on a story about municipal elections and the local economy, according to the Herald.

More from GlobalPost: Venezuela's press is dying from a paper shortage 

The Venezuelan National Guard detained Wyss in a room with eight other detainees in the western city of San Cristobal, according to AFP, but ultimately released him to US diplomats in Caracas after two days.

Authorities said they detained him because he did not have permission to report in Venezuela. 

Wyss described his brief stay with the Venezuelan government as like “living in a bar with bunk beds," per the Herald, and noted his diet there consisted largely of ham sandwiches. 

Wyss — who is based out of Bogota, but travels to Venezuela often to report — tweeted his gratitude for his release on Saturday:

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