Six Americans detained in Venezuela were released Friday and returned to the United States with President Donald Trump’s special envoy, following his meeting with President Nicolas Maduro who called for a “new beginning” in ties with Washington.
“We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him,” Richard Grenell, an outspoken Trump ally who serves in a broad role as envoy for special missions, posted on X.
The six men, who were not identified, were photographed smiling on a plane alongside Grenell.
“Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Grenell had traveled to Caracas to demand that Maduro’s government accept the unconditional return of Venezuelans deported from the United States or face consequences.
He and Maduro met at the Miraflores presidential palace in one of the first known meetings by the second Trump administration with a government it considers hostile.
But Maduro — accused by Washington of stealing last year’s presidential election — stressed the meeting had “zero agenda” and that he sought a “new beginning in bilateral relations” with the United States, according to a statement from the government in Caracas.
“We say to President Donald Trump: we have taken a first step. Hopefully it can be sustained, we want to sustain it,” Maduro said later during a speech.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier that Grenell would demand Caracas allow repatriation flights for members of the Tren de Aragua — the Venezuelan criminal gang Trump has designated a terrorist group.
“President Trump expects Nicolas Maduro to take back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to the United States, and to do so unequivocally and without condition,” Mauricio Claver-Carone, US special envoy for Latin America, said separately.
“There will be consequences otherwise,” he told reporters, adding that Grenell was also demanding that “American hostages” being held in the South American country “need to be released — immediately, unequivocally.”
