Venezuela deports 59 Colombians arrested "arbitrarily" three years ago - U.N.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's government on Saturday deported 59 Colombian citizens who had been "arbitrarily" detained there almost three years ago, the United Nations human rights office said, applauding it as a "positive sign."

Colombia's foreign ministry had requested last year that the United Nations intervene to negotiate the release of those arrested in September 2016, on allegations they were paramilitaries, from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government.