Venezuela Frees 2 Jailed U.S. Citizens Following Talks With High-Level Delegation

The government of Venezuela freed two imprisoned U.S. Citizens on Tuesday, following its talk with a high-level American delegation from Washington D.C. in Caracas.

According to Al Jazeera, the prisoners freed in Venezuela were named Gustavo Cardenas and Jorge Alberto Fernandez.

Cardenas is known to be one of the six Citgo oil executives arrested in 2017. BBC noted that Citgo is a U.S. refining company that was once controlled by Venezuela's oil firm.

According to reports Cardenas was convicted on charges of corruption, but the U.S. government claimed that it was fabricated.

Meanwhile, Jorge Alberto Fernandez, a Cuban American, was arrested last year in Venezuela and was accused of terrorism.

In a statement, President Joe Biden said that both U.S. citizens freed were "wrongfully detained" in Venezuela, per BBC.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed the arrival of Gustavo Cardenas and Jorge Alberto Fernandez in the United States.

"We welcome the release of US citizens Gustavo Cardenas and Jorge Alberto, both of whom had been unjustly detained in Venezuela... They have recently arrived back in the United States, accompanied by Roger Carstens, our Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs," Antony Blinken said in a statement, per Al Jazeera.

President Biden also thanked Carstens and the diplomatic team for their "tireless efforts to secure their release," and reunite them to their families.

American Oil Executive Freed by Venezuela Urges the Release of Other Jailed U.S. Oil Executives

On Wednesday, jailed Citgo Executive Gustavo Cardenas commented on his release and described his jail time in Venezuela as a "nightmare," per Associated Press.

"I got out of jail and got my freedom after about 1,570 days of wrongful captivity. It was a very hard time marked by deep pain, but also by faith, hope, love, and survival," Cardenas said.

Aside from describing his experience in Venezuela, Cardenas also called on the prompt release of the remaining members of Citgo 6, contending that "they and their families deserve the same blessing and freedom" that was granted to him.

A lawyer for the Citgo 6 said that there are remaining five oil executives detained in Venezuela, per BBC.

Cardenas then credited his release to President Joe Biden and other U.S. officials. He also mentioned New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Mickey Bergman from the Richardson Center, who reportedly worked to secure the release of Americans detained abroad.

Cardenas' comments came as he arrived in Houston at around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, following his overnight flight from Caracas, Venezuela.

Venezuela and U.S. Talks

The release of Cardenas and Alberto Fernandez came hours after Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, touted his interest in improving relations with the U.S. amid the Russia-Ukraine War that affected the gas prices in the United States, per AP.

BBC noted that Venezuela is known to have huge oil reserves. However, the United States imposed sanctions on the South American country's oil sector in 2019, after President Maduro has sworn in to a second term.

Officials from the United States did not further on the outcome of their talks with the Venezuelan government. However, they pointed out that the release reflected months of relationship building.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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