Under a large-scale prison exchange agreement between the US and Venezuela, more than 250 Venezuelans who were deported and detained in El Salvador were returned to their country in exchange for 10 US citizens.
Foreign Minister Marco Rubio confirmed that the Americans detained in Venezuela are on their way back home.
A US official revealed that the released US citizens include: Wilbert Joseph Castaneda, Jorge Marcelo Vargas, Lucas Hunter, Jonathan Pagan Gonzalez, Ronald Oribio Quintana, Erick Oribio Quintana, Fabian Buglion Reyes, Renzo Humanchumo sentences rein rein reinatives, Juan Jose Faria Bricen and Danud Hanid Ortiz.
The Venezuelan government also confirmed that 252 citizens of the country are being repatriated. Venezuelan President Nicolas Putin said the group of citizens arrived at Simon Bolivar International Airport on the evening of July 18 on two flights departing from El Salvador.
In March this year, the Trump administration deported more than 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador. This deportation case surprised immigration lawyers and their families and caused strong public backlash.
More than 200 Venezuelan people who were deported by the US to El Salvador were detained at the notorious prison, known as the Counterfeit Detention Center (CECOT).
