Six Americans detained in Venezuela were released and returned to the United States with President Donald Trump's special envoy, following his meeting with President Nicolas Maduro who called for a "new beginning" in ties with Washington.
"We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to Donald Trump and they couldn't stop thanking him," Richard Grenell, an outspoken Mr Trump ally who serves in a broad role as envoy for special missions, posted on X.
The six men, who were not identified, were photographed smiling on a plane alongside Mr Grenell.
"Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!" Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Mr Grenell had traveled to Venezuela to demand that Mr Maduro's government accept the unconditional return of Venezuelans deported from the United States or face consequences.
He and Mr Maduro met at the Miraflores presidential palace in one of the first known meetings by the second Trump administration with a government it considers hostile.
But Mr Maduro - accused by Washington of stealing last year's presidential election - stressed the meeting had "zero agenda" and that he sought a "new beginning in bilateral relations" with the United States, according to a statement from the government in Venezuela.
"We say to President Donald Trump: we have taken a first step. Hopefully it can be sustained, we want to sustain it," Mr Maduro said later during a speech.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier that Mr Grenell would demand Venezuela allow repatriation flights for members of the Tren de Aragua - the Venezuelan criminal gang Mr Trump has designated a terrorist group.
"President Trump expects Nicolas Maduro to take back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to the United States, and to do so unequivocally and without condition," Mauricio Claver-Carone, US special envoy for Latin America, said separately.
"There will be consequences otherwise," he told reporters, adding that Mr Grenell was also demanding that "American hostages" being held in the South American country "need to be released - immediately, unequivocally."
Open channels
Mr Maduro was sworn in for a third presidential term on 10 January despite being accused of election fraud last July. The opposition and much of the international community considers rival Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia the rightful winner.
According to Venezuela, the Maduro-Grenell meeting was held in "mutual respect" and various issues were discussed including migration and the "negative impact of economic sanctions."
The government statement also expressed Venezuela's "willingness to maintain open diplomatic channels."
Mr Claver-Carone said the talks did not imply any softening of the position on Mr Maduro, whose previous term Washington had also considered illegitimate.
Former US president Joe Biden's administration had agreed to relax sanctions on oil as part of a deal for American prisoners and free elections.
Venezuela freed 10 Americans in a swap. But Mr Biden reimposed sanctions after Mr Maduro did not follow through on democratic reforms.
Mr Maduro recently announced the capture of seven "mercenaries" and said two were US citizens - including a "senior FBI official."
The Foro Penal rights group said before Friday's release that eight Americans were imprisoned in Venezuela, plus two people of unknown nationalities who had resided in the United States.
Top Trump priority
Mr Trump has made the deportation of undocumented people in the United States paramount. During his campaign, he described immigrants as "poisoning the blood" of the nation.
Since returning to the White House he has pressed countries to take back deportees - a top priority for Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he starts a five-nation tour of Latin America.
In his first week back in office, Mr Trump vowed crushing tariffs on Colombia, a longstanding US ally, after its president called for more humane treatment of repatriated citizens.
The Trump administration quickly ended protections from deportation for more than 600,000 Venezuelans living in the United States under a special status.
The Biden administration had allowed them to stay due to fears for their safety if they return to Venezuela.
Mr Trump also signed a law making it easier to detain migrants who commit crimes, naming it after a nursing student murdered by an undocumented Venezuelan migrant who had been arrested but released twice.
