Richard Grenelll, sent for special missions of the US President Donald Trump, met this Friday with President Nicolás Maduro to convey message from the administration about irregular immigrants.
The United States president's envoy, Richard Grenelll, met Friday afternoon with Venezuela's ruler, Nicolás Maduro, in Caracas.
According to a statement from the Venezuelan government, the meeting “was held within the framework of mutual respect”, and issues on “migration, negative impact of economic sanctions against Venezuela, American citizens, incursions in crimes in national territory and integrity of the integrity of the Venezuelan political system ”.
“The need to turn relations was also ratified,” said the text in which the Government ratified its willingness to maintain open diplomatic channels with the United States, “in the defense of the irrevocable rights and interests of the Venezuelan people ”
Shortly before the meeting, Karoline Leavitt, Press Secretary of the White House explained that Grenell was in Venezuela “with two immediate directives from the US president … guarantee that the repatriation flights of Venezuelan citizens who have violated the laws of our country terrify in Venezuela … and secondly, ensure that all American detainees in Venezuela are returned. “
The spokeswoman reiterated that it is the intention of the US government to make all countries “cooperate” with the deportation of their citizens who are undocumented in the US.
Leavitt explained that some 400 members of the Venezuelan criminal gang, Aragua Train, are in custody of the US authorities.
Trump's special envoy to Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, insisted earlier that it is not a negotiation, but that Grenell will transmit the message of the administration.
“This is not a negotiation, this is to move an unequivocal message about two points: one, the Venezuelan criminals, from the Aragua train gang that have to be deported, Venezuela have to accept them, it is their responsibility, that is not negotiable ”Said Claver-Carone on Friday in a call with journalists.
“Two, the American hostages currently in Venezuela have to be immediately released and returned to the United States, and if those two requirements are not met, obviously there will be consequences of the United States government. There is no negotiation on oil issues, ”he continued.
Claver-Carone clarified that the discussion of the issues with the Maduro government does not change “in any way” the position of the US government regarding the “theft” of the elections in Venezuela and the need for “a democratic change in the country.”
Last week, Grenelll, announced that he had spoken with several officials in Venezuelabut did not offer details on the issues addressed.
“Diplomacy has returned,” Grenell said in an X post that revealed his initial calls. “Talking is a tactic,” he said.
Venezuela's Minister of Communications, Freddy Ñañez, replied on his Telegram channel a confirmation of the Grenelll meeting with Maduro, who would propose a “zero agenda” to the envoy to deal with the Trump administration.
The Republican senator, Rick Scott, said he hopes that during his visit on “the only thing” on what Grenelll focuses on demanding the return of “kidnapped” Americans in Venezuelan territory, and ensuring that Maduro returns to his country to “thugs and Gang members “found in the US.
“And find a new country for Maduro, Diosdado (hair) and all involved in this murderous regime leave as soon as possible,” Scott wrote in X.
It is not clear how many Americans or citizens with dual nationality are arrested in Venezuela, but Venezuelan officials have publicly talked about at least nine.
Maduro's officials have accused most of them of terrorism and have said that some were high -level “mercenaries.”
Venezuela has regularly accused opposition members and foreign detainees to conspire with US entities such as the CIA to plan terrorist attacks.
American officials have constantly denied it.
After months of negotiations, in December 2023 the Venezuelan government exchanged a group of American prisoners by Alex Saab, a close ally of Maduro who was prosecuted in the US for capital washing.
The Government of Joe Biden restored wide oil sanctions in April after he said that Maduro did not fulfill his promises of a free presidential election last year, as well as selective sanctions to dozens of officials.
Maduro's victory in that vote on July 28, backed by the Government, is questioned by the opposition, international observers and numerous Western countries, including the United States.
“We want to do something about Venezuela”
Asked whether Grenell's visit could give Legitimacy to Maduro, Trump replied that it has been a great “opponent” of the Venezuelan ruler and who want to see what they can do so that Venezuelans return to their country “healthy and free.”
“He is meeting with many different people, but we are in favor of the people of Venezuela (…) We will see what we can do to straighten the situation in Venezuela (…) I was very surprised when Biden agreed to buy a lot of oil from Venezuela, because Venezuela was about to To end the dictator, ”he said on Friday.
“We will see what happens, we are not happy with Venezuela, we do not like the way they have treated Venezuelans,” he told reporters.
Trump, who has said that he will not buy oil from Venezuela because “they do not need it,” he maintained during his first mandate a policy of “maximum pressure” that included imposition of hard sanctions to the South American country and its oil industry.
Former President Joe Biden briefly revoked some of the Trump era behind Maduro's electoral promises, but then restored them, saying that the Venezuelan leader had breached the promises of a fair democratic vote.
He Financial Times He reported Friday that Chevron is trying to protect the special license of the United States that allows him to operate in Venezuela.
The executive director of the oil giant, Mike Wirth, told the newspaper that the company would communicate with the White House after Marco Rubio, Trump's secretary of state, said the license should be reconsidered.
If Chevron is forced to leave, China and Russia will gain influence on the OPEC nation, Wirth said.
Venezuela's oil exports to the United States fired 64% about 222,000 barrels per day last year, which made it its second largest export market behind China, which received 351,000 BPD, 18% less in comparison with the previous year.
(With Reuters information)