Ric Grenell has traveled to Venezuela to meet with socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro and demand that he accept deported criminals from the U.S. and release American hostages.

A senior Trump administration official traveled Friday to Venezuela to urge President Nicolás Maduro’s government to take back deported migrants who have committed crimes in the United States and release a handful of imprisoned Americans.

A State Department official said Venezuela must take back “Venezuelan criminals and gangs” and release American “hostages” immediately.

U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Richard Grenell will meet with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday in Venezuela, both countries said, amid a deportation and anti-gang push by the Trump administration that has ruffled feathers around Latin America.

U.S. presses for release of 15 American detainees, offering to continue sanction- exemptions for U.S. oil companies.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Richard Grenell is expected to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday in Venezuela, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. Reuters could not immediately verify the meeting.