This photo released by the El Salvador's presidential press office shows men, who the U.S. government detained and flew to El Salvador months ago, boarding a Venezuelan plane at the Oscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, Friday, July 18, 2025. (El Salvador's presidential press office via AP)
The government of Nicolás Maduro finalized the humanitarian exchange after diplomatic negotiations that included the mediation of former Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
Caracas, July 19 (RHC)-- The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela announced this Friday the release of 252 Venezuelan citizens who were being held at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador, through a prisoner exchange with the United States that involved the surrender of U.S. citizens prosecuted for crimes against national security.
President Nicolás Maduro authorized this humanitarian operation after months of diplomatic efforts led by former Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who acted as mediator in the negotiations between Caracas and Washington.
According to the official statement released from Miraflores, Venezuela "paid a high price" to secure the freedom of these compatriots, who had been transferred to the controversial Salvadoran prison known for its extreme conditions.
The exchange included the handover of an unspecified group of U.S. citizens who were under Venezuelan judicial process "for their proven involvement in serious crimes against the peace, independence and security of the Nation."
The Bolivarian government attributed the situation of these Venezuelans in Salvadoran territory to "the most extremist sectors of the Venezuelan right," within the context of the migratory flows that have forced many citizens to leave the country in recent years.
Venezuelan authorities characterized the detention of these migrants as "kidnapping" and "forced disappearance," denouncing serious human rights violations at the CECOT (Central American Center for the Protection of Human Rights), a facility built by Nayib Bukele's government to supposedly combat gangs.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro highlighted the role of former President Rodríguez Zapatero, who has played an active role in the dialogue between the Venezuelan government and various international actors since 2016.
"The Bolivarian Government once again thanks former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for his courageous efforts toward political dialogue, peace, and reconciliation in Venezuela," the official statement stated.
Venezuelan authorities reaffirmed their willingness to continue working "tirelessly on other issues for the benefit of the Venezuelan people," maintaining "absolute respect for the Constitution" as the framework for these actions.
[ SOURCE: teleSUR and ASSOCIATED PRESS ]
