Venezuela frees US citizen amid gradual prisoner releases

Bloomberg News on Jan 13, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

The Venezuela government has started releasing prisoners with U.S. citizenship, people with knowledge of the situation said.

The authorities on Tuesday released at least one U.S. citizen who already left the country, the people said, declining to identify the individual for security reasons.

The release marks the first known release of a U.S. citizen since authorities in Caracas began freeing detainees as part of an effort to meet Washington’s demands following the capture of Nicolás Maduro last week. At least one other dual U.S. citizen was detained, the people said, and Caracas-based human-rights group Foro Penal counted two other U.S. citizens arrested, an American and a Cuban-American.

Press officials for the U.S. State Department and Venezuela’s Information Ministry didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Interim Vice President Delcy Rodríguez’s government has said 116 prisoners have been released, though only about 70 cases have been verified by the non-governmental organization Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón. Releases began Jan. 9 and included close political aides to opposition leader María Corina Machado.

Earlier Tuesday, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said releases would continue. In the meantime, families of detainees are still waiting to see loved ones, with many camping outside detention centers across the country.

_____