Venezuela interim government releases 4 Americans
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Fox News has confirmed that the interim government in Venezuela has released at least four US citizens imprisoned under the regime of President Nicolás Maduro.
The announcement marks the first known release of Americans in the South American country since the U.S. military wrapped up an operation to capture authoritarian Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who now faces federal drug trafficking charges in New York.
“We welcome the release of Americans detained in Venezuela,” a State Department official said Tuesday. he said. “This is an important step in the right direction by the interim authorities.”
The release of American citizens was first reported by Bloomberg.
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Venezuelans celebrate after US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday, January 3, 2026 that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured in Santiago, Chile and sent out of the country. (Esteban Felix/AP Photo)
Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners, President Donald Trump said Saturday.
“Venezuela has begun the process of releasing its political prisoners in a BIG way,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Thank you! I hope these prisoners remember how lucky they are that the United States came and did what needed to be done.”
Venezuela’s interim government reported the release of 116 prisoners, but only 70 were confirmed by the nonprofit Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón, according to Bloomberg.
According to the press, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said that the release of prisoners will continue.
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Nicolás Maduro is seen in handcuffs after landing on a helipad in Manhattan; Heavily armed federal agents make their way to an armored vehicle as they head to the Federal courthouse in Manhattan on January 5, 2026, in New York City. (XNY/Star Max/GC images via Getty Images)
The U.S. government issued a new security alert on Saturday urging Americans in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, citing security concerns and a limited ability to provide emergency aid, the U.S. Embassy in Caracas said.
“US citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately,” the embassy said in the warning.
The warning cited reports of armed groups operating on Venezuelan roads.
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Venezuelan citizens in Cucuta, Colombia, celebrate during a rally at the Colombia-Venezuela border following the confirmation of the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas on January 3, 2026. (Jair F. Coll/Getty Images)
Following the military operation, Trump claimed that the United States would “rule” Venezuela for a long time.
“We will govern the country until we can make a safe, appropriate and reasonable transition,” he said.
