WASHINGTON (CN) — The Biden administration is freeing an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in exchange for the release of 10 imprisoned Americans and the extradition of a fugitive defense contractor.
President Joe Biden announced the deal Wednesday afternoon, seeming to signal a step forward in Washington’s efforts to improve relations with the South American country.
“These individuals have lost far too much precious time with their loved ones, and their families have suffered every day in their absence,” Biden said in a statement. “I am grateful that their ordeal is finally over, and that these families are being made whole once more.”
Relations between the U.S. and Venezuela have deteriorated steadily over the past decade. The downward slide started when Maduro, a self-proclaimed socialist, was narrowly elected in 2013 after the death of longtime President Hugo Chavez.
Maduro was declared victor for a second six-year term in the 2018 election, but international leaders split on the legitimacy of the vote. Washington stopped recognizing Maduro as the rightful head of state in 2019 and has applied political and economic pressure to make him step down.
Wednesday’s deal comes a few weeks after the Biden administration agreed to suspend some sanctions, after Maduro and an opposition faction committed to work toward fair conditions for the 2024 presidential election.
“We stand in support of democracy in Venezuela and the aspirations of the Venezuelan people,” Biden said.
The Americans released include Luke Denman, Airan Berry, Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, Joseph Cristella and Savoi Wright.
“We are forever grateful,” Wright’s family said in a statement.
Six of the individuals being released were previously designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said all the Americans have departed Venezuela.
Blinken also applauded Venezuela for releasing 20 political prisoners as part of the deal, saying the actions “represent important and concrete steps” toward democratic reform.
“The United States supports the implementation of the electoral roadmap agreement for Venezuelan elections in 2024 and stands with the Venezuelan people who want a democratic future,” he said in a statement.
The agreement also paves the way for the extradition of Leonard Glenn “Fat Leonard” Francis, a Malaysian owner of a ship-servicing company in the center of a Pentagon bribery scandal. Investigators have said Francis and his company received $35 million from the Navy by buying off high-ranking officers with alcohol, sex, parties and other gifts.
On the same day as Biden's announcement government attorneys asked a federal judge in San Diego to allow four Navy officers, who previously pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from the scandal, to change their pleas. U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino, a George W. Bush appointee, refused their request, saying he hadn't been provided with a reason as to why the officers should withdraw their pleas.
In September, the felony convictions for four Navy officers involved in the case were vacated due to prosecutorial misconduct. Sammartino called the misconduct “outrageous” and agreed to allow the four men to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and for each to pay a $100 fine.
Francis escaped in September 2022, three weeks before he faced sentencing. He was arrested by Venezuelan police as he attempted to board a flight outside Caracas and has been in custody since.
In exchange for Francis, the U.S. is releasing Alex Saab, who was arrested in 2020 on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Maduro’s government has argued that Saab is a Venezuelan diplomat who is entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution under international law.
While the Biden administration has applauded progress in the country, critics have condemned Maduro’s failure to meet a Nov. 30 deadline to live up to promises about next year’s elections, including failing to reverse a ban blocking his chief opponent from running from office. The country’s high court has also suspended the opposition's electoral process.
Those shortcomings led to bipartisan condemnation of Wednesday’s deal by hardliners on U.S.-Venezuela policy.
Representative Carlos Gimenez, a Florida Republican, said the deal incentivizes taking Americans hostage in exchange for concessions from Washington.
“The Biden Administration’s dangerous actions are putting American citizens at risk of being kidnapped around the world,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Senator Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said Maduro hasn’t made adequate progress on democratic reforms.
“Given the Maduro regime’s continued actions, it’s unconscionable that the Biden administration struck a deal in complete secrecy that will see one of Maduro’s most important allies released from prison,” he said in a statement. “We must ensure that the Maduro regime lives up to its commitment to democratic reform before we engage any further or make any more substantive changes to U.S.-Venezuela foreign policy.”
Sam Ribakoff contributed to this report.
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