– Two Former Green Berets Among Americans Freed In Rare Venezuela Deal:
Major deal-making between Washington and the government of President Nicolas Maduro, long under US sanctions, has clearly been progressing. It follows on the heels of intensified Biden admin efforts to free up Venezuela oil as an alternative energy source amid the Russia-Ukraine war, having recently lifted oil-focused sanctions on a temporary basis months ago.
The Biden administration has just conducted what amounts to a rare prisoner swap with Venezuela. The US agreed to release a “close ally” of President Maduro in exchange for jailed Americans, the Associated Press reports Wednesday.
That high profile Maduro ally is Alex Saab, who has been in US detention since his arrest in 2020 for money laundering. He was freed on Wednesday. There are reports that in exchange, some ten or more Americans who’ve been held in Venezuelan prisons have been released and are expected to return home to US soil.
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