• Ten Americans detained in Venezuela have been released as part of a prisoner swap.
• El Salvador returned 252 Venezuelans in exchange for the Americans.
• The deal involves complex negotiations handling political and criminal accusations.
• Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele confirmed the exchange via social media.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked the U.S. president and other officials for their roles.

On Friday, ten Americans who were detained in Venezuela were released in a significant prisoner exchange facilitated by the U.S. and El Salvador. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the news, stating that these Americans are "on their way to freedom" thanks to the efforts of various officials including President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who played a key role in the negotiations, according to Reuters and Los Angeles Times.

The release of the ten Americans was part of a broader arrangement where El Salvador sent back 252 Venezuelan detainees to their home country. Many of these Venezuelans had been previously accused of ties to criminal organizations, specifically the Tren de Aragua gang, and were held in a notorious prison facility known as CECOT, according to CBS News and NPR.

Rubio highlighted the importance of this operation by expressing gratitude for the collaborative efforts that led to the agreement, additional details on which surfaced in messages shared by Bukele. He reinforced that the release represents a significant diplomatic success, while El Salvador's move is seen as part of a longstanding effort to negotiate the return of its nationals, according to Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News.

The agreement further illustrates the complexities surrounding U.S. immigration policies, particularly under the Trump administration, which saw significant actions under the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans, some of whom were in the midst of asylum proceedings, as noted by Los Angeles Times and NPR.