Who are the prisoners released in the exchange between the US and Venezuela

Photo foot, The Americans that Venezuela released on the plane back to their country.

- Author, Writing
- Author's title, BBC News World
July 19, 2025, 03:08 GMT

Updated 1 hour

The American and Venezuelan governments carried out an unpublished exchange of prisoners with the mediation of Salvadoran President, Nayib Bukele on Friday.

A total of 252 Venezuelans who had been deported from the United States in March and held at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a maximum security prison of El Salvador, were sent to Venezuela.

In return, the Government of Nicolás Maduro released 10 US citizens detained in Venezuela, as well as an unexpected number of Venezuelans to which Washington considers political prisoners, according to authorities from both countries.

The operation was the result of weeks of negotiations between Venezuelan and American governments.

We analyze what is known about the prisoners released from both sides.

Photo foot, One of the migrants who arrived in Venezuela from El Salvador.

Venezuelans who were in the Cecot

The 252 Venezuelans repatriated this Friday had been held for four months in the CECOT of El Salvador, by virtue of an agreement between Trump and Bukele.

Many of them were accused of belonging to criminal organizations such as the Aragua Train, although family, lawyers and activists denounced lack of evidence and arbitrariness in the processes.

Some of those released offered their testimonies, broadcast by the Venezuelan official chain Telesur.

“We spent four months without communication, kidnapped,” said one of them from the plane that took them back, and another added: “We didn't know what day it was”

They assured that they slept on metal plates and that they were beaten several times a day.

Photo foot, Venezuelans, upon their return.

The mother of one of the released spoke with the BBC from Venezuela.

He said that Óscar González Pineda, who worked as a tile installer and carpets when he was arrested by the immigration authorities in Dallas, Texas, had no link with the Aragua train band and expressed emotion for his return.

The US President promoted deportations under the law of foreign enemies of 1798, which gives him the power to stop and deport natives or citizens of “enemy” nations in times of war outside the established process.

The Salvadoran president, Nayib Bukele, reiterated this Friday that all of them were involved in criminal activities, such as murders, violations and robberies, although his government never presented concrete evidence.

Some of those deported were arrested in their homes or work in the United States and transferred to El Salvador on flights managed by the Trump administration.

Venezuelans leaving the plane — Photo foot, Many of the repatriated had colorful tattoos, one of the characteristics that the US authorities used to attribute their belonging to bands, according to organizations.

According to judicial documents and testimonies of relatives, several of them legally resided in the US, had no criminal record and were not allowed to challenge their expulsion.

Human Rights Organizations have several times the extreme conditions of the Salvadoran prison.

Some relatives say that links with criminal gangs were inferred only by having tattoos or other elements considered suspicious.

The released in Venezuela

In addition to the Americans, Caracas released an unspecified number of Venezuelans qualified as political prisoners by the US and human rights organizations.

The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said they are people who were in prison for opposing the government of President Maduro.

President Bukele spoke of “political prisoners” and having helped “free 80 Venezuelans.”

Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, Minister of Interior and Justice, and Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President of Venezuela — Photo foot, The president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez (left), talked with the Minister of Interior and Justice, Diosdado Cabello, on Friday, at Simón Bolívar airport. Next to her was the vice president of the Rodríguez.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, on the other hand, described them as individuals processed by common crimes and acts against constitutional order.

Venezuela's Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello, said in statements transmitted by the Venezuelan State Television (VTV) channel, which one of the people who was released is the former deputy Williams Dávila.

When asked about other released, he said he did not have the list at that time, but that “some opposition sectors have been saying those who have come out” and said “they already left.”

The official indicated that these measures were taken as part of an initiative of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, former president of the Spanish Government, “who has always been aware of the peace and tranquility of Venezuela.”

“That has to do with a negotiation that has been done, they know, none of those who are dating are children, none, and they know what they were accused and know why they were accused. It is a measure to seek peace and tranquility,” Cabello said.

Dávila's son, William Dávila Valeri, confirmed his father's liberation, through social network X:

“We hope with enormous emotion to be able to meet again in family and start recovering the lost time together.”

The non -governmental organization Committee for the liberation of political prisoners (CLIPP) also reported in X that, on Friday, “mothers and family have confirmed the release of several political prisoners arrested in the post -election context and held in Tocorón and some of El Helicoid.”

Initially, they offered a list with 14 names, which has been expanding to 28.

“This news fills us with strength and hope, but it also reminds us that freedom is for everyone.”

US Authorities published a photograph of the 10 released Americans, whose identities were confirmed by the NGO Global Reach, which works to be able to bring Americans detained abroad.

Photo foot, The group of American liberated, in a photograph released by the US embassy in Venezuela.

Among them is Lucas Hunter, a citizen with dual American and French nationality, 37, who had been arrested in January while practicing Windsurf and traveled the border area between Colombia and Venezuela.

According to his family, Venezuelan agents forced him to cross the border and then arrested him. Since then they had not had contact with him again.

“My family and I are very happy to have known that my brother, Lucas, was released by Venezuela today,” said Sophie Hunter, his sister, in a statement made public this Friday by Global Reach.

“We cannot wait to see him in person and help him recover,” he added.

“We are grateful that President Trump has made this issue a priority for his team.”

Photo foot, Lucas Hunter's family ensures that he was captured by Venezuelan authorities in Colombian territory.

Another of the releases is Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gómez, a first -class non -commissioned person from the US Navy arrested in Caracas in August last year while visiting a friend.

His family argues that he was arrested for no reason and used as a political record by Maduro's government.

According to official sources cited by US media, Castañeda was not in official mission, but on a personal trip.

“My brother is an innocent man who was used as a political pawn by Maduro's regime,” said his brother, Christian Castañeda, in a statement published by The Washington Post.

Jump X content

Allow the X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We request your permission before something is loaded, since that site can be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read cookies policy y Privacy Policy of X before accepting. To see this content, select 'Accept and continue'.

WARNING: BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

End of X content

“We have prayed for him every day for almost a year,” he added.

“But we knew that President Trump wouldn't leave behind a decorated signal,” he added. “We are happy to be outside and you can receive the treatment and help you deserve, and that you can celebrate your next 38 birthday with your family in freedom.”

Newsweek magazine reports that the Foley Foundation, dedicated to the release of US citizens unfairly abroad, appointed other Americans who have been released by Maduro's government: Jorge Marcelo Vargas, who was in prison for 304 days, and Renzo Castillo, in prison for 299 days.

Meanwhile, the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization appointed two others: Jonathan Pagan González, who was arrested in October, and Fabian Buglione Reyes, a Uruguayan citizen resident in the United States who was arrested in a control post also in October.

Maduro's government ensures that returnee Americans had committed serious crimes against the State, while Washington considers them unjustly political or detained prisoners.

In the current context, no changes in the sanctions imposed by the US to Venezuela or the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which remain without mutual official representation.