WASHINGTON — The families of eight U.S. citizens who remain imprisoned in Venezuela have come to President Joe Biden’s defense over his outreach to the nation’s autocratic leader, Nicolás Maduro, asking him to stay the course with dialogue in the face of political headwinds at home.
Maduro released two Americans last week after meeting March 5 with senior U.S. officials in Caracas — the first high-level engagement between the two countries in years. While lawmakers in Washington have praised Biden for securing the release of the Americans, both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concern over broader talks on oil imports with Maduro that might strengthen his hold on power.
“There is no question that President Biden’s approval of this outreach was a risk,” the families wrote in a letter to Biden first obtained by McClatchy. “But we have an opportunity, and it requires a principled leader who is prepared to face potential controversy.”
