Six Americans Who Were Detained in Venezuela Are Heading Home
President Donald Trump announced on Friday that six Americans who were being held in Venezuela are on their way back to the US. The development came after Trump’s envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The meeting between Grenell and Maduro was significant because the US does not officially recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela. Maduro has been in office since 2013 and has been accused of stealing last year’s elections by opposition leaders.
Details about the six detainees who are being released are still unclear, but Grenell posted a photo on social media showing four of the men on a plane. They were all wearing light blue outfits commonly worn by people held in the Venezuelan prison system.
Maduro and Grenell also discussed issues of migration and sanctions during their meeting. Maduro said in a speech that the two leaders had made a “first step” towards a new relationship and hoped to continue working together.
The US has not officially recognized Maduro’s presidency and has imposed sanctions on Maduro-aligned officials. The US also has no diplomatic presence in Venezuela.
Grenell met with Maduro after the two countries failed to agree on a deal to deport Venezuelan nationals from the US. The US has prioritized mass deportations, but Maduro has refused to take Venezuelans back. The US has also been unable to send Venezuelans back because of frosty relations.
Trump thanked Grenell and his staff for their work in securing the release of the six Americans. He also posted a message on social media, saying, “I’ve just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!”
This is not the first time that the US has secured the release of Americans detained in Venezuela. In 2022, the Biden administration brought nine Americans home from Venezuela after they had been detained for five years.