CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Alirio Zambrano, a Corpus Christi-based CITGO official held prisoner in Venezuela for almost five years, was released Saturday along with his brother, Jose Luis Zambrano, and three other members of the group known as the CITGO 6.
The Zambrano family was unable to speak with KIII on Monday, saying they were about to be reunited with their father, but Gabriela Zambrano sent a statement on behalf of herself and her sisters Vanessa Zambrano and Alexandra Forseth.
"The Zambrano family is thrilled that my dad, uncle, and the other innocent Americans are free," it reads. "After almost 5 years, my dad and uncle are now able to get the much-needed medical care they need in the United States and be reunited with us. We would like to thank President Biden and Ambassador Roger Carstens for their leadership, moral courage, and commitment to our family in making the difficult decisions needed to bring them home."
Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has been actively negotiating for the men's release since at least 2020, shortly before the men were found guilty of corruption in 2020.
"We would also like to express our gratitude to the advocates that have stood with us along the way: The Richardson Center, the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, and HostageUS among them," the statement reads. "In particular, we would like to thank Governor (Bill) Richardson and his team for their consistent and unwavering advocacy throughout this ordeal. We could not have made it this far without the advocates and other hostage families that have so generously been a light in darkness to get us to this blessed day."
The Zambranos, Gustavo Cardenas, Tomeu Vadell, Jorge Toledo and Jose Pereira were called to a budget meeting with CITGO's parent company PDVSA in Caracas in 2017. The men were reportedly arrested on corruption charges by military intelligence officers once they reached the boardroom.
Alirio Zambrano's daughters have been steadfast in proclaiming their father's innocence throughout his imprisonment, and spent years appealing to the state and federal governments for help to get he and his fellow prisoners released.
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