CARACAS — Venezuela has released six detained Americans following a meeting between President Nicolás Maduro and U.S. envoy Richard Grenell, who was sent by President Donald Trump to discuss both the detainees' release and the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States.
Trump and Grenell announced the Americans' release on social media, with Grenell sharing a photo of himself with the freed men aboard a plane.
“We are wheels up and headed home with these six American citizens,” Grenell wrote on X, adding that they had personally thanked Trump during a phone call.
The visit marked a surprising shift, given Trump’s previous hardline stance against Maduro. Many Venezuelans had expected him to continue his "maximum pressure" campaign rather than engage in direct talks.
According to the White House, Grenell's visit primarily focused on Trump's deportation efforts, as Venezuela has refused to accept deported migrants —including members of criminal organizations such as Tren de Aragua— under previous U.S. administrations.
The meeting in Caracas came less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a controversial third term, despite international accusations of election fraud.
The U.S. government, along with other Western nations, has refused to recognize Maduro’s victory, citing opposition claims that Edmundo González won by a significant margin.
Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking at the Miraflores Palace, emphasizing that the U.S. had requested the meeting.
However, when Trump was asked if Grenell’s visit legitimized Maduro’s government, he firmly rejected the notion.
“I’ve been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro,” Trump stated while signing an executive order in the Oval Office.
“They’ve treated us not so good, but they’ve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people very badly.”
Maduro, addressing Venezuelans after the meeting, described the discussions as productive, saying they had resulted in “initial agreements” without providing further details.
“I have seen three U.S. presidents pass before me,” Maduro remarked. “This is the fourth term, and our message remains the same: We seek relations based on respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty, democracy, and international law.”
Some Republican officials were quick to criticize the move. Elliott Abrams, who previously served as Trump’s special envoy to Venezuela, argued that sending an envoy to Caracas was a strategic mistake.
“A meeting with Maduro only helps him appear legitimate and recognized by the U.S. If the goal was to send a tough message about migration, the president could have done that himself without legitimizing the regime,” Abrams said.
The disputed election led to widespread protests across Venezuela, with over 2,200 people reportedly arrested. Among those detained are at least ten Americans, accused by the Venezuelan government of plotting against Maduro’s rule.
While neither the White House nor Caracas has released the full list of freed individuals, a nonprofit advocating for detainees confirmed that one of them is 62-year-old David Estrella, who disappeared in September. Venezuelan officials had previously accused Estrella of involvement in an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro.
Trump’s administration has been ramping up its immigration policies, including an executive order earlier this week that revoked protections granted under the Biden administration to approximately 600,000 Venezuelans, placing many at risk of deportation within two months. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump had ordered Grenell to “identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights carrying Venezuelans, including members of the Tren de Aragua, land in Venezuela.” — Agencies
