Venezuela releases 6 US citizens after visit by White House envoy

President Trump posted on the social network Truth Social on the evening of January 31: "Just received word that we are bringing 6 hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you Richard Grenell and my entire team. Great job."

Earlier, special envoy Grenell met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to warn of possible consequences if Caracas continued to detain US citizens.

"We have taken off and are on our way to bring these 6 Americans home. They just spoke to President Donald Trump and kept thanking him," Mr. Grenell wrote on social network X, along with a photo of the 6 people who had just been released.

Before the group of six were released, at least 10 US citizens were still being held in Venezuela.

Mauricio Claver-Carone, the Trump administration's special envoy for Latin America, told reporters in a call on January 31 that Grenell's visit to Venezuela was a very specific mission and did not change the US's stance on the Maduro government.

According to sources, the deal that would lead to the release of the group of Americans could include Venezuela agreeing to accept Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States in exchange for certain concessions from Washington to Caracas. However, the specific details of the deal have not been made public.

The Washington Post quoted Mr. Claver-Carone as saying that special envoy Grenell asked President Maduro not only to release US citizens but also to accept back "criminals and gangs" from Venezuela who are in the US.

In a related development, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called for a new start in bilateral relations with the United States after a White House envoy visited Caracas.

The government of President Maduro issued a statement after his meeting with Richard Grenell. According to the statement, Venezuela reaffirmed the principles of peace, equal dialogue and respect for sovereignty between the two sides. The Venezuelan government expressed its readiness to maintain diplomatic channels with the United States to protect the inalienable rights and interests of the Venezuelan people.

The meeting took place in an atmosphere of mutual respect and the two sides discussed issues of mutual concern, including migration and the negative impact of economic sanctions on Venezuela, the statement said. It also stressed the need to change the relationship that has been disrupted since 2019.