Ten American prisoners released and one fugitive handed over by Venezuela to the United States in exchange for clemency granted by Joe Biden to a close friend of President Nicolas Maduro.
Businessman Alex Saab arrived in Venezuela as part of a prisoner exchange between Washington and Caracas.
Alex Saab had been detained since 2021 and accused by American justice of having set up a system of diversion of food aid for the benefit of Nicolas Maduro.
Joe Biden granted clemency to Alex Saab to obtain the release of ten Americans from Venezuela.
Two of the released Americans were serving 20-year prison sentences for failed attempt to overthrow Nicolas Maduro in 2020.
The Venezuelan authorities also handed over Francis Leonard to the United States.
The Malaysian businessman nicknamed “Fat Leonard” is being prosecuted in a vast corruption case where he bribed US Navy officers to obtain contracts.
Qatar participated in mediation between the two countries.
The agreement also includes the release by Venezuela of at least twenty political prisoners.
The US president links the prisoner exchange with Venezuela’s commitment to hold a fair democratic presidential vote in 2024.
Joe Biden, US President: “It’s acceptable because it freed Americans who were illegally detained and we reached an agreement with Venezuela that they will hold free elections, so far they have complied with the requirement, and that’s it.“
Relations between Washington and Caracas have recently improved.
Last October, Venezuela and the United States reached an agreement authorizing the presence of international observers during the next presidential election, the date of which has not yet been set.
