Venezuela has freed two jailed United States, US, citizens in a goodwill gesture following a visit to Caracas by a high-level delegation from Washington.

Venezuela has freed two jailed United States, US, citizens in a goodwill gesture following a visit to Caracas by a high-level delegation from Washington. One of the prisoners freed on Tuesday among six Citgo oil executives arrested in 2017 and convicted on charges of corruption that the US government said were fabricated was Gustavo Cardenas. The other was a Cuban American, identified as Jorge Alberto Fernandez, detained on unrelated charges.

Their release came hours after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled an interest in improving relations at a time when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked concerns in the United States over rising gas prices. In a televised broadcast, President Maduro indicated that he was willing to accede to US demands that he resume negotiations with his opponents as a first building block for any relief from US sanctions that have been punishing the oil nation for years.