Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that 10 American detainees have been freed from Venezuela and are on their way home.
“Thanks to the President’s leadership, ten Americans who were detained in Venezuela are on their way to freedom,” Rubio wrote in a post on X.
“I want to thank my team at the State Department & especially President Nayib Bukele for helping secure an agreement for the release of all of our American detainees, plus the release of Venezuelan political prisoners.” (RELATED: ELIAS FERRER: Only Trump Can Stop China From Taking Over Venezuela)
El Salvador agreed to return detained Venezuelans in exchange for the release of Americans held in Venezuela, with President El Salvador confirming the exchange in a post on X.
Thanks to @POTUS’s leadership, ten Americans who were detained in Venezuela are on their way to freedom.
I want to thank my team at the @StateDep & especially President @nayibbukele for helping secure an agreement for the release of all of our American detainees, plus the…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 18, 2025
“Today, we have handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA),” he said. “Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes.”
“As was offered to the Venezuelan regime back in April, we carried out this exchange in return for a considerable number of Venezuelan political prisoners, people that regime had kept in its prisons for years, as well as all the American citizens it was holding as hostages,” he continued.
“These individuals are now en route to El Salvador, where they will make a brief stop before continuing their journey home.”
Bukele confirmed the exchange was the result of months of negotiations with the Venezuelan government. (RELATED: Cristosal Flees El Salvador Amid Law-And-Order Crackdown)
“This operation is the result of months of negotiations with a tyrannical regime that had long refused to release one of its most valuable bargaining chips: its hostages,” he stated.
Today, we have handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA). Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes.
As was offered to the Venezuelan… pic.twitter.com/teuIT4GiRT
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) July 18, 2025
“However, thanks to the tireless efforts of many officials from both the United States and El Salvador, and above all, thanks to Almighty God, it was achieved. In this, as in other matters, I remind you: patience and trust.”
The Trump administration previously facilitated the release of U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair in May, who was detained in Venezuela since November 2024.
