Ten American citizens detained in Venezuela have been freed and are returning to the United States as part of a high-profile prisoner exchange involving the governments of Venezuela, El Salvador, and the U.S., Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and commitment to American citizens, we welcome home ten Americans who were unjustly detained in Venezuela,” Rubio said. “Until now, Venezuela held more Americans wrongfully than any other country. That chapter ends today.”
The exchange deal also included the release of Salvadoran nationals held in Venezuela, in return for El Salvador releasing hundreds of Venezuelans previously detained in a maximum-security prison. Many of those Venezuelans had been accused of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang — a charge their families and attorneys have denied.
A Three-Nation Deal
The agreement was brokered after months of negotiations and involved close coordination between the U.S. State Department, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, and the Trump administration.
Bukele confirmed Friday that all Venezuelan nationals detained in El Salvador under allegations of gang ties had been repatriated, stating, “Today we have handed over all Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, many of whom face charges ranging from murder to rape. This swap was long resisted by the Maduro regime, which used American detainees as bargaining chips.”
The U.S. had deported the Venezuelans to El Salvador earlier this year using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, bypassing traditional immigration proceedings. The detainees were flown back to Venezuela from San Luis Talpa on Friday.
Human Faces Behind the Headlines
Among those freed is Navy SEAL Wilbert Casteneda, who was arrested in a Caracas hotel last year. His brother, Christian Casteneda, said, “We’ve prayed for this day. My brother is an innocent man who was used by the Maduro regime as a political pawn.”
Also released was Lucas Hunter, allegedly kidnapped by Venezuelan border guards in January. His sister, Sophie Hunter, expressed relief: “We cannot wait to see him in person and help him recover from this ordeal.”
The latest release comes just months after U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair was freed after six months in Venezuelan custody.
Political and Diplomatic Implications
Rubio emphasized that the Trump administration remains committed to bringing home all wrongfully detained Americans and to ending the Venezuelan regime’s use of “hostage diplomacy.”
“The regime’s pattern of unjust detentions as political leverage must stop,” Rubio said. “We continue to demand the unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners and foreign nationals.”
A photo of the freed Americans was shared on social media by the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs with a message of thanks to Trump, Secretary Rubio, and others who helped facilitate the release.
As of Friday evening, all ten Americans were en route to U.S. soil.
