Venezuela Releases 86-Year-Old U.S. Oil Industry Consultant Following Uproar Over His Detention

Venezuelan authorities have released Evanan Romero, an 86-year-old oil consultant and U.S. citizen, four days after his arrest in the western city of Maracaibo, according to official statements and accounts from the consultant.

His detention had drawn attention because of his role in discussions involving foreign energy companies and U.S. officials as Washington encourages investment in Venezuela's oil sector following the capture of authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro in January. Prosecutors said Romero was detained February 13 as he prepared to fly to Caracas and that he had been wanted since May 2025 on allegations of fraud and criminal association.

In a statement, the Public Ministry said the arrest "does not relate in any way to oil matters or activities connected to that sector." A court granted him conditional release requiring periodic appearances before authorities, citing his age and constitutional guarantees.

Romero, who holds dual U.S. and Venezuelan citizenship and previously served as an executive at state oil company PDVSA and as vice minister of Energy and Mines in the late 1990s, had traveled to Venezuela days earlier from Panama. He told Spanish newspaper ABC that he was stopped at the airport after presenting identification and that a detention order "appeared in the computer" during check-in. He said he was not informed of formal charges at the time.

According to his account, he spent his first night in an Interpol office in Maracaibo and was later transferred under guard to a private clinic for medical reasons, where he said he remained monitored and without access to a computer. Authorities confirmed he was held in Zulia state during the four-day period.

The arrest occurred while Romero was scheduled to meet representatives of international oil companies in Caracas to discuss potential projects and production stabilization. He has also participated in technical initiatives by former industry officials developing proposals for rebuilding Venezuela's energy sector.

His release comes as Caracas and Washington pursue contacts aimed at normalizing relations and encouraging foreign investment in Venezuela's oil industry, which officials say depends on legal and political assurances for investors.