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Venezuela Frees Opposition Activist with US Citizenship


FILE - Francisco Marquez, an opposition activist in Venezuela who participated in a recall campaign against President Nicolas Maduro, works on his computer at the family home in Del Mar, California, Oct. 20, 2016.
FILE - Francisco Marquez, an opposition activist in Venezuela who participated in a recall campaign against President Nicolas Maduro, works on his computer at the family home in Del Mar, California, Oct. 20, 2016.

Venezuela has freed an opposition activist with dual U.S. citizenship after keeping him jailed for four months.

Francisco Marquez was freed on Tuesday and immediately left the country under the terms of his release. He was arrested in June while traveling to assist in a nationwide presidential recall campaign. Prosecutors said Marquez had nearly $3,000 in local currency and was trying to foment violence.

He was arrested with a fellow activist from the Popular Will opposition party. The other activist was released in September and went into exile in Spain.

Members of the opposition cheered Marquez's release, but said the government had succeeded in driving away two important opposition activists.

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