Venezuela releases two jailed Americans

The Venezuelan government freed two US citizens from jail on Tuesday night as Caracas seeks improved relations with Washington.

One of the freed prisoners was Gustavo Cardenas, among six Citgo oil executives arrested in 2017 and convicted on charges the US government says were fabricated. The other was a Cuban American, identified as Jorge Alberto Fernandez, detained on unrelated charges.

"Tonight, two Americans who were wrongfully detained in Venezuela will be able to hug their families once more," US President Joe Biden said in a statement. "We are bringing Gustavo Cardenas and Jorge Fernandez home."

Biden gave no more details about their release.

What do we know so far?

The move comes just days after a high-level US delegation met with President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas.

Gustavo Cardenas, an American citizen, and former executive of Citgo, the US-based subsidiary of Venezuela's state oil company.

All of them were handed lengthy jail sentences despite the US calling for their release. Last October, the US State Department said that they were being held as "political pawns."

Jorge Alberto Fernandez, a Cuban-American detained on terrorism charges for bringing a drone into Venezuela last year.

US delegation meets Maduro

Venezuela's move is seen as a goodwill gesture toward the Biden administration, which seeks to undercut support for Russia in Latin America.

It follows a rare trip by a high-level US delegation to Venezuela over the weekend to meet President Maduro.

Besides the fate of the Americans held in Venezuela, the talks also focused on energy supplies. They discussed the possibility of easing US oil sanctions on the OPEC member.

Washington has been looking for ways to replace Russian oil imports, which it banned Tuesday in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine had led to soaring US gasoline prices as the West seeks to punish Russia.

A shift in US-Venezuela ties?

The meeting in Caracas could become a turning point in ties between the two countries.

Washington and Caracas have had hostile relations through successive US administrations.

Meanwhile, Venezuela is Russia's most steadfast ally in South America.

In fact, the US and many of its allies do not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president.

Engaging with the socialist president was aimed at gauging whether Venezuela was prepared to distance itself from Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine.

adi/sms (AP, Reuters, AFP)