The Venezuelan government will release at least 20 opposition members and 10 Americans in exchange for the release in the United States of an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Source: Reuters citing unnamed officials in the US and Venezuela
Details: Maduro’s ally is Colombian businessman Alex Saab, whom US President Joe Biden pardoned. Saab returned to Venezuela on Wednesday.
U.S. prosecutors accused Saab of siphoning about $350 million from Venezuela through the United States in a scheme that involved bribing Venezuelan officials. He denies the charges.
Under the deal, all six Americans the U.S. classified as unlawfully detained in Venezuela have been released and are heading home, along with four other Americans who refused to stay.
Venezuela also returned to the United States fugitive Malaysian businessman Leonard Glenn Francis, known as “Fat Leonard,” who is involved in a U.S. Navy bribery case, officials said.
The agreement was the result of months of negotiations brokered by Qatar between Venezuela and the United States and came after the White House said it needed to see progress on prisoner releases to continue easing energy sanctions on Caracas.
The easing of sanctions was announced in October in response to the Venezuelan government’s agreement to hold fair elections in 2024.
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2023-12-21 00:16:13
