Six Americans Held Captive In Venezuela Return Home As Trump Concludes His Second Week

Phillip NietoFeb 1st, 2025, 6:26 pm
 
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ESPN

Six Americans were freed from captivity in Venezuela Friday as President Donald Trump concluded his second week back in office.

The government of President Nicolás Maduro freed them after receiving pressure from the Trump administration. Trump sent his envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, to negotiate their release earlier in the week.

Grenell posted a video on social media of him greeting the Americans after their release writing with the caption, “Hello. I’m an American diplomat sent by President Trump and I’m here to bring you home.”

According to the Associated Press, Grenell asked Maduro to take back undocumented migrants from Venezuela with criminal records in the U.S. as the administration conducts nationwide deportations.

Grenell said in a separate social media post that the freed American citizens spoke to Trump by phone and expressed their gratitude.

“We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him,” Grenell wrote on Friday evening via a post on X.

Trump later posted his own statement thanking Grenell while claiming that the Americans had returned back home in “great condition.” The president also stated that Maduro agreed to repatriate all Venezuelan undocumented migrants being deported from the U.S. by using their airplanes.

“Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!” President Trump said Friday.

It was not clear why the Americans were being held, CNN reported.

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