British actor and comedian Michael Palin, a member of the legendary Monty Python group, was detained for seven hours in Venezuela by a group of militiamen while filming for his new documentary series, as reported by the Venezuelan press.
The incident took place in Sabaneta, in the state of Barinas, the hometown of Hugo Chávez, where the 82-year-old Palin was trying to film footage of a statue of the deceased Bolivarian leader for Michael Palin in Venezuela, a production of the British Channel 5.
As he recounted to The Telegraph, he and his team were intercepted by an armed group that confiscated their passports, cameras, and personal belongings, even going as far as inspecting their dirty laundry. Palin described the experience as "somewhat absurd".
The tension unexpectedly dissipated when one of the militiamen searched the actor's name on the internet and came across the famous Monty Python sketch known as the fish-slapping dance. After recognizing him, the armed men shifted from hostility to asking for photos and autographs, leading to the team's release without further consequences.
The episode occurred in a scenario of maximum political tension in the Latin American country due to the military deployment of the United States in the Caribbean. Additionally, the monuments dedicated to Chávez have sparked controversy and protests in recent years.
Despite what happened, Palin stated that he does not plan to abandon his exploration projects in challenging contexts and reiterated his commitment to showing the public lesser-known realities.