Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wants fewer U.S. diplomats working in the country and has announced measures to limit the number working in the U.S. Embassy, according to the Associated Press via Yahoo News.

Maduro, speaking Saturday during a protest against imperialism, said "gringo" meddling has forced him to install the new measures that will include requiring U.S. diplomats to seek approval from the Foreign Ministry when holding meetings in Venezuela.

Maduro will also impose new tourist visa requirements for national security reasons. Maduro says recently authorities had detained several U.S. citizens, who he claims were involved in espionage, including one pilot.

Maduro said Venezuela will charge the same amount for a visa that the United States charges Venezuelans wishing to visit the U.S.

Maduro and other Venezuelan officials did not comment on any Americans in custody and the U.S. Embassy did not respond to a request for comment. Saturday, Venezuela released four missionaries from North Dakota. The missionaries were being held for unknown reasons. The four were banned from coming back to Venezuela for two years.

Relations between the U.S. and Venezuela have been tense lately, and Maduro blames the U.S. for its economic and social problems. He recently accused the U.S. of plotting to bomb the presidential palace. The U.S. called these allegations ludicrous.

Venezuela and the U.S. has not exchanged ambassadors since 2010, but the two countries continue to exchange diplomatic staff. Maduro said Saturday that the U.S. has 100 employees working in Venezuela while Venezuela only has 17 working in the U.S.

Maduro addressed President Obama and accused him of refusing to host talks between the two nations.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. President, that you have gone down this dead end," Maduro said.

Maduro said a few select politicians would be banned from coming to Venezuela, which include President George W. Bush, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

The U.S. responded to Maduro's comments.

"We are aware of reports that President Maduro repeated a number of inflammatory statements about the United States during a televised political rally today," the U.S. government said in a statement. "The continued allegations that the United States is involved in efforts to destabilize the Venezuelan government are baseless and false."

Recently the U.S. imposed bans on certain Venezuelan officials who have been accused of human rights violations and corruption, according to the BBC.

Americans have avoided visiting Venezuela as crime in the country soars. The exchange rate too has become confusing, and Maduro has continued to attack the U.S. government.

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