Venezuela on Tuesday began freeing detained American citizens, a U.S. official said, in what Washington described as a positive step by the South American country’s interim leadership following the removal of former President Nicolás Maduro.
The U.S. State Department confirmed that multiple Americans held in Venezuelan prisons have been released, though officials did not immediately specify the exact number of individuals freed. The move was welcomed by U.S. authorities as an important development in the evolving relationship between the two countries.
“We welcome the release of detained Americans in Venezuela. This is an important step in the right direction by the interim authorities,” said a State Department official speaking on condition of anonymity.
The releases come after Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who previously served as Vice President under Maduro, ordered the release of prisoners following pressure from Washington. The gesture was cited by U.S. President Donald Trump as one reason for calling off a planned second wave of military action against Venezuela.
Many of those detained were jailed after taking part in protests over the contested 2024 elections, which critics said lacked transparency and where Maduro was declared the victor amid allegations of vote-rigging. Venezuela had also earlier freed Spanish and Italian citizens held in its prisons as part of related negotiations.
Return of Social Media Access
In a related development, Venezuelans regained access to the social media platform X on Tuesday more than a year after it was blocked under Maduro’s government. The interim administration restored connectivity to the U.S.-based platform, allowing officials and citizens to once again post and interact online.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez updated her X profile with a call for national unity and progress, writing: “Let us stay united, moving toward economic stability, social justice, and the welfare state we deserve to aspire to.”
The reopening of X marks a notable shift in communication freedoms after Maduro suspended the platform in August 2024 following disputes with its owner, Elon Musk, and widespread criticism of his contested re-election.
These developments occur amid broader efforts to reset diplomatic and political relations between Venezuela and the United States, including talks on reopening embassies and cooperation on various fronts.
