‘Citgo Six’ out of Venezuela prison
But executives still under house arrest; future uncertain
The six executives of Houston refining company Citgo released from a Venezuelan prison remain under house arrest in the troubled South American nation and the prospects of their return to the U.S. are murky.
Known as the Citgo Six, Alirio Zambrano, José Luis Zambrano, Tomeu Vadell, Jorge Toledo, Gustavo Cardenas and José Pereira will likely be able to see sunlight and breathe fresh air after enduring life-threatening weight loss and chronic infections during their two years confined in the basement of a military intelligence building in the Venezuela capital of Caracas.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Vadell family confirmed that the Citgo vice president and the others were given house arrest in Venezuela but did not have any further information.
“We remain very concerned about Tomeu’s well-being, and hope that this is a step towards our loved one coming home very soon,” the family said.
Working as executives with Citgo in Texas and Louisiana, the six men were summoned to the refiner’s parent company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, on the Sunday before Thanksgiving 2017.
During their last meeting, the men were arrested and charged with corruption. Over the past two years, the six — five U.S. citizens and one U.S. permanent resident — were denied contact with the U.S. State Department, humanitarian organizations and religious groups while food, water and vitamins sent by family members were either rejected or confiscated by guards.
In a statement, Citgo officials
reported that it stands behind the imprisoned executives.
“After more than two long years, this development is welcome news, and an important step in the journey towards reuniting these men with their families,” Citgo officials said. “As a company, Citgo will continue to pray for their safety and wellbeing as they return home, and supports the U.S. government’s efforts to secure their full release.”
The six were arrested amid an ongoing political feud between Venezuela and the United States. Facing economic sanctions aimed at unseating strongman Nicolas Maduro, the oil-rich South American nation, once considered one of the wealthiest in Latin America, now faces
shortages of food and medicine while the security and economic situation continues to deteriorate.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration and most democracies around the world recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela.
The Citgo Six are not without allies in Washingon. Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy from
Louisiana have been monitoring their cases and issued statements calling for their release.
“We want him back in the United States,” Cassidy said in a Wednesday evening statement about Vadell. “We want him back with his family, but I’m glad for this first step. We’ll celebrate when we finish this story.”