The United States applauds the release of American prisoners in Venezuela

Many Americans who were arrested in Venezuela The Trump administration said late Tuesday that they had been released, praising the move by the country’s interim leader.

“We welcome the release of Americans detained in Venezuela. This is an important step in the right direction by the interim authorities,” the State Department said.

It was not immediately clear how many American detainees were released.

The Associated Press news agency reported that four Americans were released as a group on Tuesday, and one was quietly released on Monday, citing an unnamed source.

What prompted the release?

This step comes after US forces kidnapped the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro In a night raid They brought him to the United States Facing trial.

Jorge Rodriguez, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly and brother of the interim president Delcy RodriguezHe had said last week that A “big number” to Venezuelan Foreign prisoners in the country will be released as a gesture to “seek peace” after Maduro’s arrest.

US President Donald Trump praised the gesture and said he would cancel a second wave of strikes in response. The United States has long made the release of its citizens abroad a priority, and even secured freedom for some in an agreement with Maduro last year.

Several political prisoners – Venezuelan and foreign – have been imprisoned for participating in protests over the results of the 2024 elections, which saw Maduro declare victory despite widespread allegations of voter fraud.

Edited by: Rana Taha