CARACAS -- The Chavez government released 11 political prisoners, including four directors of Econoinvest brokerage on Saturday night. Ernesto Rangel, Juan Carlos Carvallo, Miguel Osio and Hernan Sifontes, who are accused of illegal currency trading have been in jail for 2 years and seven months without conviction. They have been freed on their own recognizance and will have to regularly report to court, were ordered not to leave the country and were prohibited from speaking to the press. Their trial is ongoing and will continue.

Until it was taken over by the government in May of 2010 and subsequently closed by the government, Econoinvest had been Venezuela's largest brokerage and the company's stock was traded on the Caracas Stock Exchange.

Also freed were Arne Chacon (brother of former Minister Jesse Chacon), Antonio Marquez, Luis Suarez, Orlando Suarez, Miguel Vaz, Carlos Ponce and Freddy Gomez.