<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Venezuela has freed seven jailed Americans in exchange for the release of two relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the two countries have confirmed.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The swap included five American oil executives, US officials said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Americans were exchanged for two of Mr Maduro's wife's nephews, who were serving 18-year sentences in the US on drug charges, the officials said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Venezuela said two men "unjustly" held in the US were freed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It added that a group of US citizens were released for "humanitarian reasons".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The swap included executives of Venezuela's US-based oil company, Citgo, in addition to US Marine veteran Matthew Heath and another American citizen named Osman Khan, US officials said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The oil executives - Tomeu Vadell, Jose Luis Zambrano, Alirio Zambrano, Jorge Toledo and Jose Pereira - were jailed five years ago, after being summoned to a meeting in Caracas, where they were charged with terrorism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">President Joe Biden said in a statement that the "wrongfully detained" Americans would soon be reunited with their relatives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Today, we celebrate that seven families will be whole once more. To all the families who are still suffering and separated from their loved ones who are wrongfully detained - know that we remain dedicated to securing their release," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In exchange for their freedom, Mr Biden agreed to release two nephews of Venezuela's first lady, Cilia Flores.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Franqui Flores and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores were arrested in Haiti in 2015, then taken to New York where they were convicted of drug charges.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Venezuelan government said in a statement that the "release of two young Venezuelans unjustly imprisoned in that country has been achieved".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A US official said the swap happened at an airport in an unspecified third country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For many years, the US has accused Mr Maduro of leading a left-wing dictatorship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the Biden administration has recently sent envoys to reopen dialogue with Venezuela. Critics say the change of policy was triggered by the invasion of Ukraine and the US determination to reduce dependence on Russian oil. Source: BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>