Venezuela’s interim government has released at least four Americans who were imprisoned under the regime of President Nicolas Maduro, as confirmed by multiple sources.
This marks the first confirmed release of an American in Venezuela since the U.S. military carried out an operation aimed at capturing Maduro, who is currently facing federal drug trafficking charges in New York.
A State Department official stated that the U.S. “welcomes the release of Americans detained in Venezuela,” calling it “an important step in the right direction” from the interim authorities.
Bloomberg was the first outlet to report on the release of the American nationals.
On a related note, President Donald Trump mentioned recently that Venezuela had started releasing political prisoners. He expressed gratitude on Truth Social, stating, “Thank you! I hope the prisoners remember how lucky they were that the United States came along and did what they were supposed to do.”
According to reports from Bloomberg, the transitional government has indicated that 116 prisoners have been released, though only about 70 have been confirmed by an NGO called Justicia Encuentro y Perdón. National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodriguez also noted that the release of prisoners would continue.
In another development, the U.S. government issued a security alert advising Americans living in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, citing ongoing security concerns and a limited ability to offer emergency assistance. The U.S. Embassy in Caracas reiterated that “U.S. citizens residing in Venezuela should leave the country immediately,” highlighting reports of armed groups present on local roads.
Following the military operation, President Trump made remarks suggesting that the U.S. would maintain control over Venezuela until a stable transition of power could be established. He said, “We will continue to run the country until such time as there is a safe, proper and wise transition of power.”
