Ric Grenell has traveled to Venezuela to meet with socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro and demand that he accept deported criminals from the U.S. and release American hostages.

Despite the visit, Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump's special envoy to Latin America, emphasized that Grenell's mission does not alter the administration's goal of restoring democracy in Venezuela. He warned of consequences if Maduro's government does not cooperate.

U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Richard Grenell will meet with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday in Venezuela, the U.S. and Venezuela both said.

A senior Trump administration official traveled to Venezuela to urge President Maduro’s government to accept deported migrants, a U.S. official said.

A senior Trump administration official has traveled to Venezuela to urge President Nicolás Maduro’s government to take back deported migrants who’ve committed crimes in the U.S. and release a handful of imprisoned Americans,

Special U.S. envoy Ric Grenell is in Venezuela working with the authorities there are on the repatriation to that country of members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, the White House said on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Richard Grenell is expected to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday in Venezuela, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. Reuters could not immediately verify the meeting.

A State Department official said Venezuela must take back “Venezuelan criminals and gangs” and release American “hostages” immediately.