Trump official travels to Venezuela to negotiate deal for deporting Tren de Aragua gang members
President Donald Trump’s envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, has embarked on a crucial mission to Venezuela to personally deliver a message to socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro regarding the acceptance of violent criminals deported from the United States.
In a press briefing on Friday, Mauricio Claver-Carone, the U.S. special envoy to Latin America, disclosed that Grenell’s primary objective is to urge Maduro to repatriate all Venezuelan criminals and members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang who have been sent to the United States, without any preconditions.
Additionally, Grenell will demand the immediate release of American hostages currently held in Venezuela, as stated by Claver-Carone.
The visit is centered on two key issues – the repatriation of Venezuelan criminals without conditions and the unconditional release of American hostages, without engaging in any form of negotiation or quid pro quo, as emphasized by President Trump.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Grenell’s arrival in Venezuela, following direct orders from the president.
Despite widespread skepticism among Venezuelans and the international community regarding the validity of Maduro’s victory in the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election against opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, Maduro was sworn in for his third consecutive six-year term earlier this month.
The United States does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. Opposition leader María Corina Machado has called for protests against the Maduro regime, advocating for González to be installed as the rightful president of Venezuela.
Currently, there are approximately 10 American citizens detained in Venezuela, with three of them allegedly involved in a plot to destabilize the country, according to Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.
The State Department has refuted any U.S. involvement in a coup attempt against Maduro.
The exact number of Americans held in Venezuela remains unclear following a significant prisoner exchange in 2023, where Washington and Caracas orchestrated the release of numerous prisoners, including 10 Americans, in exchange for Colombian businessman Alex Saab, a close associate of Maduro.
Saab was apprehended during the initial Trump administration on charges related to a $350 million bribery scandal.
As the situation unfolds in Venezuela, the international community watches closely, awaiting the outcome of Grenell’s mission and the potential impact it may have on U.S.-Venezuela relations.
Chris Pandolfo is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital. Send tips to chris.pandolfo@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @ChrisCPandolfo.
