Venezuela Releases 6 U.S. Detainees and Agrees to Accept Deportees for Sanctions Relief
On January 31, 2025, Richard Grenell, President Trump’s envoy for special missions, announced on social media that he had succeeded in obtaining the release of six American detainees and an agreement with Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro to accept the Venezuelans whom the U.S. deports.[1] In exchange, the U.S. apparently communicated to Venezuelan officials that it would continue to permit Chevron and other Western oil companies to operate in Venezuela and not impose additional sanctions despite the fact that the U.S. believes the July 28 election was not fair.[2]