Five Top Venezuelan opposition figures that have been under112 days in the Argentinian diplomatic stay in the capital, Caracas, have left the country and are now in the United States, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Marco Rubio.
“The US welcomes the successful salvation of all hostages held by the Maduro regime,” Mr. Rubio wrote on x On Tuesday. He added that the “Venezuelan heroes” were now in the US “after a precise operation”.
The announcement comes when Venezuela has made attempts to calm the Trump government, who has threatened to resame paralyzing oil slot sanctions. A license with which Chevron can operate in the country ends at the end of May and an extension by the US government can help the Venezuelan economy.
Under her autocratic president, Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan government has gone through periods of intense repression, followed by limited concessions to the opposition, often made when the authorities hope to win something by alleviating the population. The most important opposition leader, María Corina Machado, who no longer had last year’s elections, continues to hide.
The departure of the opposition activists came only a few weeks prior to regional elections, in which Mr Maduro’s government tries to project an atmosphere of democratic normality.
But about 900 political prisoners remain detained in the country, according to the Waakhondgroep Foro Penal, and Mr. Maduro is accused of stealing a presidential election that took place last year.
The effort of the Trump government to get the activists from Venezuela will probably frustrate the families of Americans in Venezuela. In the past year, the Maduro government has retained several foreigners to use them as negotiations in negotiations.
In January, the Trump assured the freedom of six Americans who were locked up in the South American country – but at least 10 Americans remain in custody in Venezuela, according to lawyers for men.
The activists who fled Venezuela, Pedro Urucurtu, Magalli Meda, Humberto Villalobos, Claudia Macero and Omar González, did not respond to requests for comments.
The five of them together with a consultant for a coalition of opposition parties, Fernando Martínez Mottola, sought asylum from Argentina in March 2024 after the attorney general of the Venezuela Warrants announced for their arrest.
Mr. Martínez left the house to submit himself to the Venezuelan authorities in December 2024. He died two months later.
It was of the 41,000 square feet compound, nestled between the diplomatic homes of Russia and North Korea, that the five activists, the top of Mrs. Machado’s party, had one of the most consistent presidential campaigns In the history of the country.
Despite the limitations of their freedom, the five civil servants not only succeeded in organizing a voter deviation that brought millions to the polls last July, but also mobilized thousands of monitors to collect counting plates who could prove that their candidate had won.
Their efforts helped to bring the United States to the opposition candidate, Edmundo González, to recognize as the winner of the presidential race. Many other countries have also refused to recognize Mr. Maduro’s claim over the victory.
Then they watched on the election evening how Mr Maduro explained the victory but did do not provide proof To support his victory. Talies gathered by the election monitors showed that Mr. González had in fact won – and in a landslide.
Days after the vote, Mr. Maduro ordered Argentinian diplomats to leave the country and Brazil took responsibility for the embassy.
Demonstrants turned out to be in large numbers after the elections, but the brutal government scored most Venezuelans to speak out. Mr. González, the opposition candidate, spain In September.
Mrs. Machado, who has been hiding since the elections, celebrated the freedom of her best assistants In a message on X.
“My infinite recognition and gratitude to everyone who made it possible,” she said.
In interviews last year, the opposition leaders described life in a state of constant fear.
Since the July elections, the Venezuelan authorities have periodically appeared outside the diplomatic home in bullet -proof vests and face masks, sometimes cutting access to electricity, water and food, but then recover.
Mr. González, 75, one of the five activists, described the fear during one of those incidents in August.
“I would not be caught. I could make it for me not to fall into their hands. I would try to flee as far as I could,” he said at the time. “I’m ready to leave at any time.”
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