By Vivian Sequera, Matt Spetalnick and Diego Oré

CARACAS/WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – On Tuesday, at least two U.S. citizens were released by Venezuela. This was a gesture of goodwill toward the Biden administration, according to people who are familiar with it. It came after a U.S. high-ranking delegation visited Caracas.

Gustavo Cardenas is one of the six Citgo oil executives who was convicted last year on charges that the U.S government claims were fabricated. Four sources shared this information with Reuters. The other was a Cuban American, identified as Jorge Alberto Fernández, detained on unrelated charges, according to two of the sources.

This weekend’s visit to the U.S. focused on not only the fate of the detained Americans, but also on how the U.S. could ease oil sanctions against the OPEC member in order to close a supply gap if the United States bans Russian oil imports as a response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine – which he did Tuesday. Russia has Venezuela as its closest ally in South America.

Although there was not immediate information on whereabouts, it was expected that the men would be transported to the United States immediately.

Washington sought to release at least nine men including the so-called “Citgo 6”, two ex-Green Berets, and one former U.S Marine.

These two countries could be freed, setting a positive tone for negotiations between them. They have had hostile relations over successive American administrations.

On Sunday, the U.S. delegation met with the Venezuelan detainees. It was the most powerful to visit Venezuela since recent years. Roger Carstens, the U.S. hostage ambassador to Venezuela was part of this group and was thought to have stayed behind in order to complete the release.

Tuesday’s release followed talks with socialist President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday as the Biden administration sought ways to stave off the impact of soaring U.S. gasoline prices spurred by efforts by the West to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Biden intensified the campaign of pressure against Moscow with Tuesday’s announcement by the U.S. that it would prohibit Russian oil and other imports from America. American consumers may see higher prices and inflationary pressure from the new ban.

Engaging with Maduro was a long-standing U.S. foe. It also served to gauge whether Venezuela is ready to separate itself from Russia.

However, the Biden administration received strong criticism from Capitol Hill over its contact with Maduro. Maduro has been sanctioned by the United States for political violations of human rights.

Robert Menendez is a Democrat who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He urged the White House to not pursue a Venezuelan deal.

Maduro, he said in a statement, “is a cancer to our hemisphere and we should not breathe new life into his reign of torture and murder.”

The United States in 2019 recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate president following Maduro’s 2018 re-election, which Western governments dismissed as a sham.

STICKING POINT

Cardenas was among six Citgo Petroleum employees in America, which is owned by Venezuela’s State-Own Oil Company PDVSA. He was taken into custody during a trip to Caracas, Venezuela, in 2017. The men were sentenced by a Venezuelan court to eight- to thirteen year prison terms in November 2020 for embezzlement and money laundering.

Five naturalized U.S. citizens, and one permanent resident have served time in prison or house arrest since 2005. Their circumstances are often influenced by U.S. relations with Venezuela.

Washington and Caracas have been at odds over their detention, calling it illegal and repeatedly requesting their release.

Matthew Heath (a Marine veteran) is among the Americans being held in Venezuela. Heath was charged with terror and arms traficking. Heath has denied all charges. Officials from the United States claimed that Heath wasn’t sent by Washington, and charged Venezuelan authorities with illegally holding Heath.

Ex-special forces personnel from the United States, Luke Denman, and Airan Berry are still being held. They were detained in 2020 for their involvement in a failed raid to remove Maduro.