The United States has reached an agreement with Venezuela to exchange Nicolas Maduro, a close aide to Venezuela’s president, and 10 American prisoners held in the country.
Biden administration officials confirmed the exchange on Wednesday, hours before the Americans were extradited. The released Americans include several who were deemed to have been wrongfully detained and four who were not. The latter included Leonard Francis, a Malaysian businessman known as “Fat Leonard,” who was implicated in one of the largest corruption scandals in U.S. Navy history.
“We have reached an agreement to ensure the release of six Americans who are being held unjustly in Venezuela. This means that all Americans detained in Venezuela and four other Americans will soon be released. They will be released and we expect they will be released soon.”They are on their way home to family and friends and will be in a position to share the news with their families soon.” ,” officials said at a press conference Wednesday morning.
“Leonard Francis, also known as Fat Leonard, has been extradited from Venezuela and will hopefully be boarding a plane soon to return to federal custody,” the official added.
Fugitive ‘Fat Leonard’ may have left the country, federal marshals say
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro looks on during a meeting with the Consejo Nacional de Economía Productiva at the Humboldt Hotel in Caracas, Venezuela, on September 21, 2023. (Carlos Becerra/Getty Images)
President Biden said in a statement that the six Americans who were wrongfully detained “lost too much precious time with their loved ones, and their families suffer every day in their absence.”
“I’m grateful that their ordeal is finally over and their families are becoming whole again,” Biden said.
Maduro’s ally in the deal is Alex Saab, a Colombian-born businessman who was detained in the United States on money laundering charges. As part of the deal, Maduro’s government also agreed to release nearly 20 Venezuelan political prisoners.
Republicans warn China, Russia, Iran are ‘trying to invade’ Western Hemisphere 200 years after Monroe Doctrine
A demonstrator holds a placard with a portrait of businessman and Maduro confidante Saab during a demonstration demanding the release of Colombians extradited to the United States.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken hinted at a deal early Wednesday.
Click to get the FOX News app
“We hope to be able to share some good news, probably later today,” he told reporters in response to questions. “We want to make sure that our fellow Americans are released. We are also focused on political prisoners in Venezuela and we are working to ensure their release. So at this point And what I can say is this: We have a lot of work going on.”
