The United States administration confirmed that several United States citizens who were detained in Venezuela were released, amid a climate of high political and diplomatic tension between both countries after the recent capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces.
The announcement was made officially by the United States Department of State, which described the releases as "an important step in the right direction" by the interim Venezuelan authorities.
In its statement, the United States government welcomed the release of its citizens, although it did not offer official figures.
Gran cantidad de venezolanos siguen congregandose a las puertas de las distintas cárceles del país
An anonymous source cited by United States media stated that four citizens were released as a group last Tuesday the 13th and another was released on Monday the 12th, although the exact number has not been publicly confirmed by Washington.
What other releases are being reported in Venezuela?
The issue of political prisoners in Venezuela is at the center of the political transition that the South American country is experiencing after the events of recent days.
The president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, stated that authorities have already released more than 400 prisoners, including nationals and foreigners, as a gesture toward reconciliation after the change of power in Caracas.
However, these official figures have been called into question by human rights organizations and opposition groups, which maintain that the real number of releases is much lower.
For example, the NGO Foro Penal has verified the release of at least 56 detainees for political reasons, while other sectors of the Catalan and Venezuelan opposition indicate that only 76 people have been released in recent days.
Beyond United States citizens, other nationalities have also benefited from these releases. European countries such as Spain and Italy have confirmed the release of citizens detained in Venezuelan prisons within the same framework of releases.
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, announced this Monday that three Spanish-Venezuelan prisoners were released and have begun their return processes. Meanwhile, testimonies such as that of two Italian prisoners describe inhuman detention conditions before being released.
