President Donald Trump seeks Nicolás Maduro to accept the repatriation of Venezuelan criminals and gang members unconditionally, reported Mauricio Claver-Carone, U.S. special envoy for Latin America. In a meeting in Caracas, Richard Grenell, Trump's representative, met with Maduro to discuss the situation of Venezuelans detained in the U.S. and the release of American citizens imprisoned in Venezuela.
In a climate of maximum tension due to Washington's rejection of Maduro's reelection and the sanctions imposed by the Republican administration, Grenell, according to White House sources, urged Caracas to accept the deportation of Venezuelans accused of crimes in the U.S. Among them are alleged members of the Tren de Aragua, a group designated by Trump as a terrorist organization.
Foro Penal estimates that at least ten people with U.S. citizenship or residency are detained in Venezuela. Trump's increasingly strict immigration policy is generating tensions with Latin America. Claver-Carone stated that "Venezuela has to accept them; it is their responsibility."
On the other hand, the oil policy is also under scrutiny. Trump announced the possible suspension of U.S. purchases of Venezuelan crude oil, while Republican lawmakers demand the cancellation of licenses for companies like Chevron, Repsol, and Maurel & Prom to operate in Venezuela.
In this context of growing hostility, the Venezuelan crisis is one of the issues that Senator Marco Rubio will address on his tour of Central America and the Caribbean. From Washington, the Republican government reaffirms its rejection of Maduro's reelection and supports Edmundo González Urrutia, an exiled individual claiming victory in last July's presidential elections.
Recently, Colombia rejected a military flight with handcuffed Venezuelan migrants, triggering a diplomatic crisis. Claver-Carone called for the "immediate" release of the detainees, whom he referred to as "hostages."
