A U.S. Air Force veteran unlawfully imprisoned in Venezuela was released Tuesday after secret talks between dictator Nicolás Maduro's representatives and President Donald Trump's special envoy, Richard Grenell, Newsmax has learned.
Grenell flew on a secret mission to Antigua Tuesday to meet with top Venezuelan officials and secured the release of Joseph St. Clair, a 33-year-old combat-disabled veteran.
Newsmax also learned that Grenell and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday extended the waivers for U.S. companies' oil licenses in Venezuela by 60 days.
Grenell also met with Venezuelan officials to discuss continued cooperation with the U.S. on deportations. Already, Venezuela has accepted more than 3,000 illegal aliens from the U.S.
The release of Joseph St. Clair is another gesture that the Maduro regime wants to do business with the Trump administration.
He and a friend from Colombia were traveling as tourists near the Venezuelan border in October 2024 when they were arrested by Venezuelan authorities, Stars and Stripes reported.
After being detained, he was transported across the border to a prison that has been condemned by human rights groups for abuse violations, according to his family.
"We learned that Joe decided to take a trip near the border with one of his friends to visit [the friend's] family member and got too close to the border and got abducted by the Venezuelan police," said Scott St. Clair, Joseph's father, Stars and Stripes reported.
"They were shaken down, questioned and searched. All their possessions were taken."
Washington's two Democrat senators, Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Maria Cantwell, sent Trump a May 2 letter asking that he personally seek Joseph St. Clair's release. Scott St. Clair and wife Patti live in Washington state.
Joseph St. Clair served as a tech sergeant in the Air Force until 2019, when he was honorably discharged after nine years of service, his family said.
"Joe St. Clair endured four combat tours in Afghanistan to protect this country. Now, he is the one who needs protection," Patti St. Clair said, Stars and Stripes reported.
Little more than a week after Trump took office Jan. 20, Grenell earned the release of six Americans detained by Venezuela's government under Maduro.
Grenell traveled to Caracas to demand that Maduro's government accept the unconditional return of Venezuelans deported from the U.S. or face consequences.
He and Maduro met at the Miraflores presidential palace in one of the first known meetings by the second Trump administration with a government it considers hostile.
Trump commended Grenell after the six Americans were freed.
"Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela," Trump wrote in a post on X. "Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!"
In February, Trump wrote after Grenell's visit that the Maduro government had agreed to receive "all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua," and pay for their transportation.
In March, Maduro said the flights to bring migrants back from the U.S. were affected when Trump canceled a license that allowed Chevron to continue to operate in his country, citing a lack of progress on migrant returns and electoral reforms.
Less than a week later, Venezuela reached an agreement with the U.S. to resume repatriation flights of migrants. Maduro announced the deal in a televised address.
The State Department has indicated that the U.S. has not been negotiating with Caracas, but sources tell Newsmax that Trump ordered that direct negotiations continue.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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