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Bukele Reveals Details of Prisoner Exchange with Maduro Regime
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele announced this Friday, July 18, the handover of Venezuelan citizens detained in his country, accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang, in exchange for the release of a significant number of Venezuelan political prisoners and all US citizens held by Nicolás Maduro's government.
In a message posted on his X account, Bukele detailed that the operation, the result of months of negotiations, will allow those released to arrive in El Salvador as a stopover before continuing on to their destinations.
"Today we have handed over all the Venezuelan citizens detained in our country, accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua (TDA) criminal organization. Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes," Bukele said. He clarified that the exchange included Venezuelan political prisoners who had been held in the regime's jails for years, as well as the US citizens "kidnapped" by Chavismo.
Bukele emphasized that the negotiations with Venezuela's "tyrannical regime" were complex, as, according to him, Chavismo had long refused to release these hostages, considered a "valuable currency."
"Thanks to the tireless efforts of numerous officials from both the United States and El Salvador, and above all, thanks to Almighty God, it was achieved," he stated, highlighting patience and trust as key to the process.
In a message posted on his X account, Bukele detailed that the operation, the result of months of negotiations, will allow the freed hostages to arrive in El Salvador as a stopover before continuing on to their destinations.
"Today we have handed over all the Venezuelan citizens detained in our country, accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua (TDA) criminal organization. Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes," Bukele said. He clarified that the exchange included Venezuelan political prisoners who had been held in the regime's jails for years, as well as Americans "kidnapped" by Chavismo.
Bukele emphasized that the negotiations with Venezuela's "tyrannical regime" were complex, since, according to him, Chavismo had long refused to release these hostages, considered a "valuable currency."
"Thanks to the tireless efforts of numerous officials from both the United States and El Salvador, and above all, thanks to Almighty God, it was achieved," he stated, highlighting patience and trust as key to the process.
