10 Americans Released Following U.S., El Salvador, and Venezuela Prisoner Exchange

According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ten Americans are on their way back to the United States after being freed in a prisoner exchange involving the U.S., El Salvador, and Venezuela.

Due to leadership from the President, ten American nationals previously held in Venezuela are now regaining their freedom.

The release of these Americans was made possible by a deal where El Salvador handed over 252 Venezuelans who had earlier been deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, as reported by high-ranking administration insiders.

Among those liberated is a former Navy SEAL, who had been detained during a personal trip to Venezuela last year.

The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela shared an image featuring the released Americans.

President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador disclosed that his nation released all the Venezuelans detained, accused of affiliating with the criminal organization Tren de Aragua, in a deal that included the release of Venezuelan political prisoners and all Americans held.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration had deported several Venezuelans to El Salvador, claiming they were associated with Tren de Aragua, invoking an old wartime statute, the Alien Enemies Act, which facilitated their swift deportation as potential threats.

Recently, the Supreme Court allowed Venezuelan migrants, detained in Texas, to contest their deportations under this wartime legislation.

Some families of the deported Venezuelans have contested claims of gang connections, and an investigative report highlighted that most detained lacked criminal records.