The six-person team was held for more than two hours in the Miraflores palace after Maduro said he did not like their questions, Ramos told reporters after arriving back at his Caracas hotel which was surrounded by armed intelligence agents.

Venezuela's socialist government has long had a tense relationship with Western media, which it largely considers hostile and in league with "imperialist" interests.

Short detentions and deportations have become common, especially as reporters facing delays for official permissions seek shortcuts to report in Venezuela.

That has come into the spotlight over the past month as Maduro faces his biggest political challenge since he replaced Hugo Chavez six years ago, with dozens of countries recognizing his rival Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate leader.