The Miami Herald's Andean bureau chief Jim Wyss traveled to Venezuela to cover a large protest rally in Caracas, but was detained by immigration authorities Wednesday night.

Wyss entered the city early Tuesday morning with a valid journalist visa, his paper reports. At 5:21 p.m. on Wednesday he emailed the paper saying, "am being detained … by immigration."

Wednesday night he contracted his editor and informed him that the Venezuelan officials had put him on a plane to Panama. The authorities said he was detained due to his failure to register as a journalist in Venezuela.

All is well. On my way home sooner than expected. Venezuelan officials were as professional and kind as possible under circumstances.

— Jim Wyss (@jimwyss) September 1, 2016

Two Al Jazeera journalists were also denied entry. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, six journalists minimum were refused. They were attempting to cover a protest rally calling for a recall referendum on President Nicolás Maduro.

"We urge Venezuelan authorities to allow journalists to cover events in Venezuela, in the midst of a deep economic and political crisis," Carlos Lauría, senior program coordinator for CPJ in North and South America, told the Herald. "Authorities should expedite timely permission for journalists so the international press can report firsthand on these important events."

Dubbed "The Takeover of Caracas," the rally was spurred by dissatisfaction with Maduro and his United Socialist Party. In recent weeks blackouts, food and medical supply shortages, high inflation and rising crime rates have ravaged the country, and many blame the president.

"There is no food. There is no paper. There is no medicine. We are dying," protester Maria Alvarez told CNN en Español. "Please, help Venezuela. This has to end. Maduro, you have to understand that your time is up."

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