The US admits that it released Alex Saab as part of its strategy to stop Venezuelan migration

The United States admitted this Thursday that it released the Colombian businessman Alex Saabclose collaborator of the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduroas part of its strategy to stop Venezuelan migration.

In a press conference, the spokesman for the White House National Security Council, John Kirbysaid that the “work” that the Joe Biden Administration is doing with Venezuela is “important to address the root causes of migration.”

LEARN MORE | The US releases businessman Alex Saab, a close collaborator of Nicolás Maduro

The official said that “there are many factors” that explain the migration phenomenon and “one of them is the political instability in the region.”

Kirby explained that Wednesday’s prisoner exchange and negotiations for democratic elections in Venezuela They are part of efforts to reduce migration.

On Wednesday, the US He released Saab in exchange for the release of 10 Americans and about twenty Venezuelans considered “political prisoners.”

The exchange is included in the US mediation in the negotiations between the Venezuelan opposition and the Maduro Government to achieve “free and fair” presidential elections in 2024.

CHECK HERE | Nicolás Maduro receives Alex Saab at the presidential palace, after his release in the US.

Returning Saab to Venezuela was one of the main conditions of the Venezuelan Government to continue dialogue with anti-Chavismo.

The Venezuelan crisis is the largest migration crisis on the continent, forcing more than 6.6 million people to leave their homes and live in other countries in America.

This unprecedented movement of people has reached the United States and in fiscal year 2023, authorities detained more than 200,000 Venezuelans on the border with Mexico.

In response, the Democratic Administration has taken a series of measures specifically aimed at this group, such as resuming deportation flights to Venezuela in October of this year.

At the same time, it has created legal migration channels for Venezuelans, including humanitarian permission, also known as “parole,” which grants legal status for two years in the United States.

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