Key points
- Trump calls the release a “great job”
- US officials have not yet given details of the released detainees
- EU, UK, Canada, and US do not recognise Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader
WASHINGTON: Six American citizens who were detained in Venezuela have been released, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell said Friday.
“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 said after meeting with Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, according to Anadolu Ajansi.
Trump also called the release a “great job.”
“Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages’ home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Earlier, the White House said Grenell left for Venezuela with “two very clear directives” from the president.
“Make sure that Tren de Aragua members, of which there are 400 currently in custody, are repatriated back to Venezuela and that all United States detainees return home,” spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Detainees details
US officials have not yet given details of the six detainees that are being released, however, Trump’s envoy for special missions Richard Grenell posted a picture on X of himself with the men aboard a plane.
“Hello. I’m an American diplomat sent by President Trump and I’m here to bring you home.” pic.twitter.com/mMJ7nDu88s
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 1, 2025
Maduro’s claim to an election win for the third term has been contested by the country’s opposition, which has published thousands of voting tallies that suggested their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won the election.
Carter Center and the Colombian Electoral Mission also backed their claims.
Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2025
Venezuela’s legitimate leader
Like the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada, the US does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
It has placed a lot of sanctions along with visa restrictions on Maduro-aligned officials. Moreover, Washington has no diplomatic presence in Venezuela.
We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens.
They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him. pic.twitter.com/sCvCO4HQQv
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 1, 2025
The recent prisoner release agreed after a meeting between Grenell and Maduro, which had been expected to cover the deportation of Venezuelan citizens from the US.
Mass deportations
Trump has prioritized his campaign promise of mass deportations, however, Maduro has denied taking Venezuelan nationals back – and the US has generally been unable to send Venezuelans back as a result of fragile relations.
Gonzalez, who the US accepts as Venezuela’s president-elect, has warned the White House against reaching a deal with Maduro on deportation flights.
We are home. 🇺🇸
God bless these Americans. pic.twitter.com/L36mNkvEom
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 1, 2025
The US President told reporters he wanted to “do something with Venezuela,” but noted that he was “a big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro.”
“They’ve treated us not so good, but they’ve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly,” he said.
Crises in Venezuela
According to a BBC report published last year, tensions in Venezuela ran high after a government-controlled electoral authority declared Nicolás Maduro the winner of the presidential election and handed him a third consecutive term in office.
Not only had the election been described as “undemocratic” by independent observers, but the result announced by the National Electoral Council (CNE) were also dismissed as fraudulent by the opposition.
The European Union, the United States and a number of Latin American nations refused to recognise the result, calling instead on the CNE to release detailed data from polling stations which the opposition says proves that its candidate, Edmundo González, won by a wide margin.
Anti-government protests flared up and hundreds of people were arrested by the security forces, which remain loyal to President Maduro.
Those taking to the streets say they voted for change after a quarter of a century in which Venezuela has been governed by the socialist PSUV party – first under the leadership of Hugo Chávez, then after his death in 2013 by his right-hand man, Nicolás Maduro.
