Washington, Feb 1 (Reuters) - In a significant diplomatic development, President Trump announced that Venezuela has agreed to take back undocumented migrants deported from the United States. This agreement follows a meeting in Caracas between Trump's envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, during which six American hostages were freed.

Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Venezuela will accept "all Venezuelan illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua." He further clarified that the Venezuelan government would provide transportation for these returnees. The announcement came after Grenell's unexpected visit, which aimed to address both the repatriation of detainees and the deportation of Venezuelan nationals from the U.S. to their home country.

"We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all countries," Trump declared, reflecting his administration's hardline stance on immigration.

Previously, U.S. relations with Venezuela had been strained, characterized by sanctions and accusations aimed at Maduro's government. Despite this, Trump's administration is pushing a new approach focused on collaborating with Latin American nations like Venezuela and Colombia on immigration controls. Just last week, Colombia reversed its refusal to accept deportations following threats of tariffs and sanctions from Trump.

The visit by Grenell marked a rare instance of senior U.S. representation in Venezuela, explicitly aimed at negotiating the release of detained Americans and discussing deportation protocols. Previously, the U.S. government had not recognized Maduro's election legitimacy, which took place amidst international scrutiny for alleged electoral fraud.

Although the situation remains precarious, and Trump's administration's demands include an unequivocal acceptance of deported migrants, Grenell emphasized that these talks were not about concessions to Maduro but rather about compliance with U.S. expectations.

For further details on the discussions, please refer to the reports by VOA News and The Hill.