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Dahud Hanid Ortiz, one of ten Americans freed in a prisoner exchange with Venezuela, was previously convicted of a triple murder in Spain. Ortiz, 54, was sentenced to 30 years in Venezuela for stabbing two employees and a client to death in a 2016 Madrid law office attack. Despite knowing about his conviction, U.S. officials prioritized securing the release of all Americans held in Venezuela, prioritizing their release over Ortiz's past crimes. The swap involved the release of over 200 Venezuelan migrants from El Salvador in exchange for the ten Americans.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.