Americans held in Venezuela freed
Digest more
A group of 10 Americans freed in a hostage exchange with Venezuela included a U.S. Navy sailor and a water sports fan, reports say. When contacted for comment, the U.S. State Department told Newsweek on Saturday that for privacy reasons, the individuals would not be identified nor their cases disclosed.
U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, called Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele “a good friend” after he helped secure the release of 10 Americans imprisoned in Venezuela in exchange for the return of more than 250 Venezuelans that the U.
The three-nation agreement marks a diplomatic win for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, advances President Donald Trump’s effort to repatriate Americans imprisoned overseas, and delivers on a prisoner swap proposal initiated months ago by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, The Associated Press reported.
The group has been linked to human trafficking networks that move migrants north through Central America and Mexico, with stops in border cities like Tapachula and Tijuana — and eventual arrivals in U.
The U.S. has long targeted the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, but the Trump administration has stepped up those efforts.