The visit came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the “maximum pressure” campaign he pursued against the authoritarian Venezuelan leader during his first term.

“He is there on a special mission,” said Mauricio Claver-Carone, the US state department special envoy for Latin America. “President Trump expects Nicolás Maduro to take back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to US, and to do so unequivocally and without condition.”

Nicolás Maduro’s regime on Friday released six American citizens imprisoned in Venezuela after the strongman met in Caracas with President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell.