US and Venezuela Reach Agreement: 10 Americans and Convicted Fat Leonard Released in Exchange for Maduro Ally
US and Venezuela strike a deal to free 10 Americans, including those wrongfully detained, in exchange for release of a key ally of Maduro A significant breakthrough in diplomatic efforts between the two nations
The US government announced on Wednesday that an agreement has been reached to secure the release of six wrongly detained Americans and four other Americans who are being held in Venezuela. Additionally, the deal will involve the extradition of Leonard Francis, the former military contractor known as "Fat Leonard," who was responsible for orchestrating the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the US Navy.
This deal signifies a major improvement in relations between the US and Venezuela following extensive negotiations. The Biden administration is grappling with a growing influx of Venezuelan migrants at the southern border, which has strained federal resources. The release of all six wrongfully detained Americans, including Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, Joseph Cristella, and Savoi Wright, has been confirmed by a senior administration official.
Luke Denman and Airan Berry, along with eight other Americans, were released from Venezuela, according to a US official who informed CNN. The two ex-Green Berets had been imprisoned in Venezuela since May 2020 for their suspected involvement in what President Maduro described as a "failed coup." They had been given a 20-year prison sentence. The official declined to name any other individuals being released, citing privacy concerns.
The statement from Wright's family expressed gratitude for the U.S. government's swift action in bringing Savoi home, as well as to Mickey Bergman from the Richardson Center, and Jonathan Franks for their guidance throughout the ordeal. They acknowledged the support of many others in bringing Savoi home and expressed eternal gratitude. However, they also mentioned plans to discuss improvements to the process to better serve families and reforms needed in the designation system in the future. For now, they politely requested privacy and space as they welcomed Savoi home and supported his recovery from the trauma.
President Joe Biden expressed his relief at the resolution of the situation and the return to normalcy for the affected families. He also assured that justice will be served and accountability upheld for the crimes committed by Francis against the U.S. Government and its people. In addition, he emphasized the importance of the Venezuelan regime fulfilling its commitments, including the agreement on an electoral roadmap for competitive Presidential elections in 2024. Biden also highlighted the release of twenty political prisoners and reiterated the commitment to closely monitor the situation and take necessary action to support democracy in Venezuela and the Venezuelan people.
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This handout photo from 2017 shows Leonard Francis.
The US Marshals Service will be responsible for returning "Fat Leonard" Francis, a Malaysian national and senior administration official, to a federal detention facility. He was arrested in 2013, pleaded guilty, and fled to Venezuela after cutting off his ankle tracking bracelet while on house arrest awaiting sentencing.
"He will be fully held accountable for his crimes and attempt to escape justice upon his return to the United States," stated the official.
In return, Biden has made a "difficult" decision to grant clemency to Alex Saab, an alleged financier to Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro, according to officials.
The president had to make a tough call to facilitate this exchange by offering something sought after by the Venezuelan counterparts. He ultimately decided to grant clemency to Alex Saab, who was awaiting trial for money laundering, allowing his return to Venezuela, as stated by a senior administration official. The US had accused Saab of being involved in a corruption network related to a government-subsidized food program that enabled Maduro and his allies to embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars from the Venezuelan people, while also using food as a means of social control.
As part of the agreement, Venezuela is anticipated to free 20 political prisoners, including Roberto Abdul, the founder of a Venezuelan civil society organization and a political adversary of Maduro who was recently detained. The administration is hopeful that the release of these political prisoners will pave the way for a more democratic Venezuela in the lead up to next year's presidential election.
The US agreed to ease some sanctions on Venezuela in October after the country under Maduro's leadership took steps to open up their elections. "We are optimistic that if we can carry out the anticipated actions successfully, we will be in a good position to witness a more democratic future for Venezuela," stated a senior administration official.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and his primary deputy, Jon Finer, engaged in extensive negotiations with the Venezuelan government from May 2023, resulting in what officials described as "a highly favorable outcome." President Biden was consistently briefed on the talks and was kept informed of all developments since direct negotiations with Venezuelan representatives began. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens made several trips to Venezuela to meet with the American detainees. Additionally, the US successfully secured the release of nine other Americans who had been detained in Venezuela through two prisoner swaps last year.
The administration commended Qatar for its recent role in mediating a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and facilitating conversations between Maduro authorities and US officials to pave the way for a competitive election in 2024 and the return of wrongfully detained Americans. "We are very grateful for those efforts," said a senior administration official.
Despite the Wednesday agreement, Maduro still faces multiple charges in the US, including drug trafficking and corruption, as stated by a senior administration official.
Increased talks with Venezuela coincide with geopolitical changes that have made cultivating a friendlier relationship with the US more important in recent months.
The US decision to make it easier to access Venezuela's extensive oil reserves coincided with a reduction in global oil supplies due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, the influx of tens of thousands of Venezuelan migrants into the US each month had strained resources in border cities and urban areas like New York. In response, Caracas agreed to accept the return of Venezuelan migrants from the US.
Venezuela's commitments regarding its 2024 presidential elections and the release of US detainees have been instrumental in garnering support from the US.
In October, Venezuela took significant steps towards a more transparent presidential election by formalizing the Barbados agreement. This agreement included updating the election registry to include more Venezuelans living abroad and a commitment to have international observers present at the ballot box for the upcoming election.
Following this development, the US immediately suspended sanctions related to Venezuela's oil and gas sector operations and certain trading bans.
In that month, the Venezuelan opposition gained significant momentum as they united behind Maria Corina Machado, a former center-right legislator. She has criticized Maduro for the high inflation and food shortages under his leadership in the country's first primary election in 11 years.
However, the Venezuelan government has taken steps to prevent her from holding public office.
Accused of treason and corruption by the Venezuelan government earlier this month, Abdul, along with 13 other opposition leaders, had helped plan the October opposition primary. Elliott Abrams, special representative for Venezuela during the Trump administration, remarked that Maduro has clearly broken his promises to transition to free elections in 2024.
"He has been rewarded for moving backwards," he remarked, denouncing the release of Saab as "disgraceful." Known as a close ally of Maduro, Saab was seen as the face of the corrupt money-making schemes of the regime. He was arrested in connection to US charges in 2020 while his jet made a stop on the Cape Verdean island of Sal for refueling during its journey from Venezuela to Iran.
Interviewed by CNN the following year while under house arrest in Cape Verde, he refuted the charges brought against him by the US, describing his arrest as an "abduction" and a "highly significant diplomatic dispute." In October 2021, he was extradited to the US and has been detained in Florida pending trial. Saab's lawyer declined to provide a comment on the rumored exchange.
The release of Saab is a pivotal symbol for Maduro, according to Caracas-based political analyst Luis Vicente León.
"He sees Saab's release as a sign of his commitment to standing by his people," he stated.
This report includes contributions from CNN's Kevin Liptak, Jennifer Hansler, Alex Marquardt, and Stefano Pozzebon.
