Following a high-level US delegation’s visit to Caracas on Tuesday, Venezuela released two imprisoned American nationals in an apparent goodwill gesture for the Biden administration.
Gustavo Cardenas, one of six Citgo oil executives detained in 2017 and convicted on accusations the US government claims were manufactured, was one of the freed convicts. The other was Jorge Alberto Fernandez, a Cuban-American imprisoned on unrelated charges.
In a statement, the President of the United States, Joe Biden said, ‘Tonight, two Americans who were wrongly incarcerated in Venezuela will be able to hug their families once more.’
He said, ‘We’re bringing Gustavo Cardenas and Jorge Fernandez home.’ He didn’t say anything else concerning their release.
The US delegation’s weekend visit focused not just on the fate of detained Americans, but also on the potential of lifting US oil sanctions against the OPEC member in order to fill a supply shortfall if Biden bans Russian oil imports in reaction to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which he did on Tuesday. In South America, Venezuela is Russia’s closest friend.
At least nine men have been sought by Washington, including the ‘Citgo 6,’ two former Green Berets, and a former U.S. Marine.
The release of the two could help to create a more friendly tone for discussions between the US and Venezuela, which have had a tense relationship under consecutive US administrations.
On Sunday, the highest-ranking US delegation to visit Venezuela in recent years met with the captives in a Venezuelan prison. Roger Carstens, the United States’ captive envoy, was among the delegation, and he stayed behind to complete the release.
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