A federal judge in Miami has ordered Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to pay $314 million in damages to three US citizens who were imprisoned in Venezuela. The ruling connects Maduro to what the court characterized as "hostage diplomacy" in relation to the detentions.
The three citizens were held in Venezuelan prisons, where they reported being tortured by intelligence services. They were released in 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between the United States and Venezuela that resulted in the freedom of Colombian businessman Alex Saab, who had been detained by US authorities.
The Miami ruling appears to address the circumstances surrounding the detention and treatment of the American prisoners, with the court's framing of "hostage diplomacy" suggesting the judge viewed their imprisonment as part of a broader negotiating strategy rather than standard criminal detention.
In-depth summary · AI, neutral