President Donald Trump’s crisis Envoy, Richard Grenell, traveled to Venezuela on Friday to meet with President Nicolas Maduro and discuss Caracas accepting migrants deported from the US.
Mauricio Claver-Carone, the US State Department special envoy for Latin America, said the discussions would not change Washington’s overall Venezuela policy. “President Trump expects Nicolás Maduro to take back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to [the] US, and to do so unequivocally and without condition.”
Trump recently revoked the special immigration status for Venezuelans that allowed them to remain in the US legally. Now that that has been removed, as many as 600,000 Venezuelans no longer have legal standing in the US, and they can be deported.
He continued, Grenell is in Venezuela on a “very specific mission” that in no way deviates from Trump’s goal of restoring democracy in the South American nation. Under the first Trump administration and during the Joe Biden presidency, Washington declared Maduro to have rigged elections and recognized opposition figures as the true Venezuelan presidents.
Claver-Carone said if Maduro does not comply with the demands that Grenell makes, Venezuela will face “consequences.” Trump recently threatened massive economic penalties on Colombia to force Bogota to accept deportation flights from the US.
However, Caracas is already under extensive sanctions from Washington. The Financial Times speculated that “a deal could involve an easing of US sanctions on Venezuela and dropping a US reward offered for Maduro’s capture in return for Caracas taking back thousands of [Venezuelan] migrants from the US, shipping more oil to American Gulf Coast refineries and releasing US nationals held in Caracas.”
While Claver-Carone said the talks with Maduro do not mean that the US is giving up on its goal of regime change in Venezuela, opening up trade with Caracas could help Trump as he seeks to exert economic leverage over Canada with tariffs. Tariffs on Ottoawa’s energy exports could lead to an increase in gas prices in the US.
Venezuela’s heavy crude is one of the few sources of oil that can replace what Canada’s supplies to the US. Many American refineries are built for heavy crude oil. Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly told the Financial Times, “We ship oil at a discount which is, ultimately, refined in Texas. If it’s not us, it is Venezuela. There’s no other option on the table, and this administration doesn’t want to work with Venezuela.”
In contrast to Claver-Carone, Grenell has suggested that diplomacy is possible with Venezuela. “[Trump] is President of the United States, again. And diplomacy is back,” Grenell posted on X on January 20th.”I’ve spoken to multiple officials in Venezuela today and will begin meetings early tomorrow morning. Talking is a tactic.”
Grenell’s posture has caused concern among Venezuela’s opposition figures. “Grenell’s nonchalance and lack of concern for democracy and human rights has left everyone very concerned,” one opposition politician told FT.
The Biden administration recognized Edmundo González Urrutia as the true president of Venezuela, claiming Maduro stole the 2024 election. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with González earlier this month and called him the “rightful president.”
Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com and news editor of the Libertarian Institute. He hosts The Kyle Anzalone Show and is co-host of Conflicts of Interest with Connor Freeman.
