El Salvador sends detained Venezuelans home in swap for Americans

20/7/2025 12:24

Over 200 Venezuelans who were deported from the United States on allegations of gang membership earlier this year and detained in an El Salvador jail arrived home to Caracas on Friday.



The release was part of a coordinated prisoner exchange, with 10 Americans held in Venezuela returned to the United States, officials from all three countries said.



In a post on X, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said the Americans were en route to El Salvador from where they would continue "thier journey home," while U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the release of "ten Americans who were detain in Venezuela."



He thanked Bukele for his help in securing the agreement.