Joe Biden, US President (Reuters)
Venezuela has released seven American inmates, according to a statement from US President Joe Biden, “after years of arbitrary captivity.”
After years of illegal confinement in Venezuela, Biden remarked, “Today, we bring home Jorge Toledo, Tomoe Fadel, Alirio Zambrano, Jose Luis Zambrano, Jose Pereira, Matthew Heath, and Osman Khan.”
The release of all Americans, including a former US soldier held captive in Venezuela for two years, was sought by the US on September 10.
When Matthew Heath, an American citizen and former member of the Navy, was detained in Venezuela two years ago today, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price issued a statement requesting his “prompt and unconditional release.”
When Heath was detained in September 2020, Caracas police referred to him as a “spy” and claimed that he intended to strike oil and energy installations.
The State Department stated, “We continue to call on President Nicolas Maduro’s government to quickly and unconditionally release him and all other US citizens wrongfully held in Venezuela.
Eleven Americans have reportedly been held there, according to the US.
Following a visit to Caracas by a high-ranking White House group in March of last year, two Americans were freed.
Alex Saab, a close friend of Maduro who has been arrested in Venezuela since October for money laundering, was presented as a trade-off by Venezuelan pro-authority activists in the middle of August.
At the start of 2019, Venezuela and the US broke off diplomatic ties after Washington refused to accept Maduro’s victory.
Biden announces the release of 7 US prisoners by Venezuela
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