A swap of prisoners between the Venezuelan and United States governments took place on the weekend on Canouan, St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
US officials said Venezuela freed seven jailed Americans, including five oil executives, in exchange for the release of two nephews of the wife of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who had been jailed in the US on drug charges.
An official involved in the security arrangements on the Grenadine island said tight security was provided by the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force at the Canouan airport, where the swap took place.
Vincentian Newspaper Searchlight reported government officials saying the operation was carried out with the full cooperation of the "highest levels of government" in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
