Madrid-Barajas airport was the scene this Friday of a long-awaited reunion. After months of confinement and complex diplomatic negotiations, the five Spanish citizens who remained in Venezuelan prisons have finally returned home. The group, made up of Andrés Martínez Adasme, José María Basoa, Miguel Moreno Dapena, Ernesto Gorbe Cardona and activist Rocío San Miguel, landed in the capital this afternoon, thus closing a chapter marked by uncertainty and political tension.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has celebrated the news through his social networks, describing the day as “a happy day”. The head of the Spanish diplomacy confirmed that those released are already tucked in by their families and friends, expressing his wish that they can recover normality in their lives as soon as possible. The return comes barely 24 hours after the Caracas government announced their release as a “gesture of peace”.
Who are the Spaniards who were imprisoned in Venezuela?
The story of each of those released reflects the complex situation in the Caribbean country. Among the returnees are Basque citizens Basoa and Adasme, who were arrested in September 2024 while on a tourist trip.
At the time, the Venezuelan authorities accused them of belonging to the CNI and of planning attacks, an accusation that the Government of Spain categorically denied from the very first minute.
Also returned are the sailor and journalist from the Canary Islands, Miguel Moreno Dapena, detained more than a year ago in the context of a maritime territorial dispute, and Ernesto Gorbe Cardona, whose case had been handled with greater consular discretion. Special mention should be made of Rocio San Miguel, a renowned human rights defender with dual nationality, whose detention in February 2024 sparked a wave of criticism from international organizations.
Hope for new releases
Despite the joy for these returns, the diplomatic work is not over. During an interview this morning, Minister Albares left the door open to further positive news, assuring that there is “hope” that another person of Spanish nationality may be released in the coming hours or days, although he preferred to remain cautious about his identity.
There are still pending cases that worry the families and the consulate: among them are names such as the ex-military Alejandro Gonzalez, the student Fernando Noya or the businessman Uaiparu Guerere, linked for years to the city of Barcelona.
The Spanish Government maintains active efforts to try to extend this release process to the rest of the compatriots still in custody in Venezuela.
