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Five Spaniards Freed in Venezuela Arrive in Madrid After 15 Months' Detention

Spanish reports link the releases to a gesture by Venezuela's new chavista leadership following Nicolás Maduro's reported capture.

Overview

  • They landed at Madrid’s Barajas airport on January 9 and reunited with family members.
  • The group comprises José María Basoa, Andrés Martínez Adasme, Miguel Moreno Dapena, Ernesto Gorbe, and Rocío San Miguel.
  • They were detained by SEBIN in September 2024 near the ColombiaVenezuela border and held for about fifteen months without public charges.
  • During their confinement they were kept in Rodeo I on the outskirts of Caracas, which Spanish coverage describes as one of the region’s harshest prisons.
  • Venezuelan authorities had portrayed them as part of an international plot to assassinate Nicolás Maduro, and Spanish outlets say the releases are presented as a peace gesture by the new government following his reported capture.