CARACAS (Reuters) - Five people jailed in Venezuela, including well-known opposition figures, have been released, the opposition said around midnight on Thursday following an electoral deal with the government of President Nicolas Maduro and Washington's demand certain prisoners be freed.
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration on Wednesday eased Trump-era sanctions on the Venezuelan oil and gas industry, in response to an election deal reached between the Venezuelan government and the opposition.
A senior State Department official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, has threatened to reverse sanctions relief measures unless Maduro lifts the bans and frees prisoners.
A U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday he expects movement in the near term on releases of wrongfully detained Americans.
There are believed to be more than half a dozen American prisoners, several belonging to that category.
Persons:
Nicolas Maduro, Joe Biden's, Washington, Antony Blinken, Gerardo Blyde, Roland Carreno, Will, Juan Requesens, Blyde, Carreno, Maria Corina Machado, Requesens, Mayela Armas, Vivian Sequera, Matt Spetalnick, Natalia Siniawski, Julia Symmes Cobb, Inti Landauro, Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Barbara Lewis, Jonathan Oatis
Organizations:
Trump, Venezuelan, U.S, U.S . State Department, First, State Department, Reuters, Popular, Maduro, Foro Penal, Organization of American
Locations:
CARACAS, Venezuela, Caracas, Maduro's, Foro, U.S