Interim Officials in Venezuela Release Several Detained Americans

The U.S. State Department says interim officials in Venezuela have released several detained Americans in the country. This is the first instance of detainee releases since the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, the dictator of Venezuela, by U.S. forces during a military operation on January 3. The U.S. State Department announced on Tuesday, January 23: "We welcome the release of detained Americans in Venezuela. This is an important step in the right direction by interim officials." U.S. officials have not provided the exact number or identities of those released. Venezuela is currently governed by Delsy Rodríguez, the interim president. Maduro is currently facing drug and arms trafficking charges in the United States. The White House told Voice of America on Monday that its communication with interim Venezuelan officials is primarily focused on ensuring stability in the country and cooperating on oil production. Donald Trump, the U.S. President, wrote on the social media platform Truth Social on Saturday: "Venezuela has broadly begun the process of releasing its political prisoners." He added: "Thank you! I hope those prisoners remember how lucky they were that the United States came and did what needed to be done." Last week, President Trump also announced on Truth Social that Venezuela agreed to deliver stored oil amounting to 30 to 50 million barrels to the United States. He stated that this oil would be sold at market price to benefit the people of both Venezuela and the United States. He mentioned that the U.S. would oversee Venezuela following Maduro's arrest and told the New York Times last week that this oversight could take years. Trump stated that the interim officials currently running Venezuela would "give us whatever we need" and promised to rebuild the country "in a very profitable way." He said in this interview: "We will use oil and take oil. We will lower the price of oil and pay Venezuela, which desperately needs it."