Venezuela agrees to prisoner exchange with US for release of close ally

Venezuela's government is reportedly releasing at least 20 opposition-linked prisoners and 10 Americans in exchange for the US release of a close ally of President Nicolas Maduro.

As reported by Reuters, Colombian businessman Alex Saab was granted clemency by resident Joe Biden and returned to Venezuela. Prosecutors had accused Saab of siphoning off $350 million from Venezuela through the United States in a scheme involving bribes to Venezuelan government officials.

As part of the exchange, Venezuela also returned the fugitive Malaysian businessman Leonard Glenn Francis, known as "Fat Leonard," implicated in a US Navy bribery case.