By La Tabla/Data Journalism Platform, 18 FEB 2026
86-year-old engineer Evanan Romero Gutiérrez, a dual citizenship oil consultant, was arrested on February 13 in Maracaibo complying with a court order for fraud, which has been active since May 2025 and flagged by Interpol.
The order followed a complaint made by a business partner and relative. However, the Spanish newspaper ABC published a report yesterday that ignored this detail and crafted a narrative of political persecution against the Venezuelan government, at a time when energy negotiations between Caracas and Washington are particularly sensitive following the capture (“kidnapping”) of Nicolás Maduro on January 3.
According to the Public Ministry, the investigation into Romero began due to a complaint from a partner in a family business, who accused him of fraud. This complaint led to an arrest warrant issued by a tribunal on May 26, 2025, and processed through Interpol. Romero himself told ABC that the case “would be linked to an old administrative dispute regarding a family business investment,” but failed to mention that it was a partner and family member who reported him.
Despite the fact that ABC’s own text includes elements pointing to a private conflict, the headline and main focus of the article insisted on portraying the arrest as an act of political persecution.
Under the title “The regime in Venezuela arrests a key U.S. citizen in oil stabilization,” the newspaper describes Romero as “one of the most respected oil experts” and suggests that his arrest “generates new claims of political persecution” in the context following January 3.
The article highlights his career and connections with oil companies but fails to mention that the arrest warrant has been active since 2025, well before energy negotiations intensified.
The Public Ministry clarified in a statement that the procedure “is unrelated to oil matters or any activities connected to that sector.” Judicial sources confirmed that the complaint was filed by a partner and relative of Romero.
On February 17, a presentation hearing took place. The Public Ministry requested—considering the advanced age of the accused—a temporary measure of liberty, consisting of periodic reports, which the court agreed to. Romero was released with restrictions.
The case occurs in a political landscape transformed since January 3, when U.S. special forces captured Maduro. Since then, Delcy Rodríguez’s government has been facilitating the release of opposition figures while negotiating with Washington for the revitalization of the oil sector.
In this context, any judicial procedure gains geopolitical interpretations. However, the Romero case originated from a private fraud complaint filed by a partner and relative, and it was resolved with his release in just days.