Title: U.S. strikes deal with Venezuela to release American prisoners in exchange for Maduro ally
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it has reached a deal with the Venezuelan government to release an ally of President Nicolás Maduro in exchange for the freedom of 10 jailed Americans and a group of Venezuelan political prisoners.
The Maduro ally, Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman, was arrested in 2020 for his alleged involvement in a money laundering scheme involving the bribery of Venezuelan government officials and $350 million in Venezuelan assets.
Among the Americans released, the State Department highlighted Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, Joseph Cristella, and Savoi Wright, stating that they had been wrongfully detained. “These individuals have lost far too much precious time with their loved ones, and their families have suffered every day in their absence,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “I am grateful that their ordeal is finally over, and that these families are being made whole once more.”
As part of the deal, notorious “Fat Leonard,” who was behind a bribery scandal in the U.S. Navy, was arrested and returned to the U.S. after fleeing to Venezuela in 2022.
The agreement also requires the Maduro government to release 20 Venezuelan political prisoners and suspend the arrest warrants for three other Venezuelans. This move follows the relaxation of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela in October, in exchange for progress toward free and fair elections.
The talks, which were facilitated by Qatar, have been ongoing since May and were aimed at “clearing a path toward a competitive election in 2024 and the return of wrongfully detained Americans,” according to senior administration officials.
Biden stated that while the U.S. celebrates the return of the Americans, his administration remains focused on securing the release of hostages from Gaza and detained Americans around the world, including Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan in Russia. “We will not stop working until we bring them all home,” he said.
The deal has been a challenging decision for the Biden administration but is seen as a significant step toward the return of detained Americans and political prisoners in Venezuela.