Five top Venezuelan opposition figures who had been sheltering for 412 days at the Argentine diplomatic residence in the capital, Caracas, have left the country and are now in the United States, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“The U.S. welcomes the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime,” Mr. Rubio wrote on X on Tuesday. He added that the “Venezuelan heroes” were now in the U.S. “following a precise operation.”
The announcement comes as Venezuela has made attempts to placate the Trump administration, which has threatened to reimpose crippling oil sanctions. A license that allowed Chevron to operate inside the country expires at the end May and an extension by the U.S. government could help the Venezuelan economy.
Under its autocratic president, Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan government has gone through periods of intense repression followed by limited concessions to the opposition, often made when the authorities are hoping to gain something by appearing to ease up on the population. The main opposition leader, María Corina Machado, who was barred from running in last year’s election, remains in hiding.
The opposition activists’ departure came just weeks ahead of regional elections, in which Mr. Maduro’s government is attempting to project an air of democratic normalcy.
But roughly 900 political prisoners remain detained inside the country, according to the watchdog group Foro Penal, and Mr. Maduro stands accused of stealing a presidential election that took place last year.
