Six Americans previously detained in Venezuela are on their way back to the United States, as confirmed by former President Donald Trump on Friday.
Their release follows a meeting in Caracas between Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
This diplomatic engagement is particularly striking given that Washington does not formally acknowledge Maduro’s presidency, citing allegations of electoral fraud in last year’s election.
Details regarding the identities of the six freed individuals have not yet been disclosed by U.S. officials.
However, Grenell shared a photo on X of himself with the released detainees aboard a plane.
“I’ve just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela,” Trump announced on Truth Social. “Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!”
In the image Grenell posted, four of the freed Americans can be seen wearing the light blue attire commonly associated with Venezuela’s prison system.
“We are wheels up and headed home with these six American citizens. They just spoke to President Trump, and they couldn’t stop thanking him,” Grenell wrote.
Maduro’s controversial claim to a third term has been heavily disputed by opposition leaders, who have presented thousands of voting records suggesting their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, was the true winner of the July 2024 election. Independent observers, including the Carter Center and the Colombian Electoral Mission, have supported these claims.
The United States, alongside the European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom, refuses to recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
Consequently, Washington has imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on officials aligned with his administration. The U.S. also does not maintain a diplomatic mission in Venezuela.
Tensions between the two nations escalated further in September when the U.S. seized an airplane belonging to Maduro.
The release of the six Americans follows Grenell’s discussions with Maduro, during which they also addressed the deportation of Venezuelan nationals from the U.S.
Trump, who has emphasized mass deportations as a key policy goal, has encountered resistance from Maduro, who has refused to accept deported Venezuelans.
The strained diplomatic ties between the two countries have made repatriation efforts difficult.
Edmundo Gonzalez, recognized by the U.S. as Venezuela’s president-elect and a guest at Trump’s inauguration, has cautioned the White House against negotiating deportation agreements with Maduro.
Before Grenell’s meeting, Trump was questioned about whether the envoy’s public interaction with Maduro might lend credibility to the Venezuelan leader.
The former president responded, saying he wanted to “do something with Venezuela” but reiterated his opposition to Maduro’s leadership.
“They’ve treated us not so good, but they’ve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly,” Trump said.
Following the meeting, Maduro, in an annual address to Venezuela’s judiciary, expressed optimism about future engagement with the U.S.
“President Donald Trump, we have made a first step, hopefully it can continue,” Maduro stated, as reported by Reuters. He also hinted at potential agreements benefiting both nations.
A statement from Venezuela’s government confirmed that migration and sanctions were among the topics discussed.
Since Maduro took office in 2013, Venezuela—despite its vast oil reserves—has endured a severe economic and political crisis marked by hyperinflation.
Millions of citizens have fled the country in search of better conditions.
The U.S. State Department has consistently warned against travel to Venezuela, citing risks, including wrongful detention of American nationals.
In 2024, Venezuela’s intelligence agency SEBIN detained a U.S. Navy sailor, according to sources cited by CNN.
Previous prisoner releases include the Biden administration’s 2022 effort, which saw nine Americans brought home after years of detention.
In December 2023, the U.S. secured the freedom of six wrongfully detained individuals, along with four other Americans.
