By Ebi Kesiena
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Venezuela has agreed to accept illegal migrants deported from the United States, including gang members.
“Venezuela has agreed to take back all Venezuelan illegal aliens who were in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua,” Trump stated on his platform, Truth Social.
He also celebrated the return of six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela.
“Venezuela has further agreed to provide transportation for their return. We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all countries, and all nations have agreed to accept them back,” he added.
The six detainees, whose identities were not disclosed, were released and returned to the U.S. on Friday following a meeting between Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro described the exchange as a step towards a “new beginning” in U.S.-Venezuela relations.
Photographs showed the six men smiling aboard a plane alongside Grenell.
Grenell had travelled to Caracas to press Maduro’s government to accept Venezuelan deportees unconditionally or face repercussions.
Additionally, President Trump has pledged to implement the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history, aiming to expel millions of undocumented immigrants, many from Latin American countries.