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Richard Grenell celebrates the rescue of an Air Force veteran detained in Venezuela since 2024: ‘Joe St. Clair is back in America’

The veteran’s release comes amid negotiations between the Maduro government and Grenell.

Richard Grenell y Joe St. Clair en el avión de regreso a EEUU

Richard Grenell y Joe St. Clair en el avión de regreso a EEUU@RichardGrenell

Agustina Blanco
Published by
Agustina Blanco

This Tuesday, U.S. citizen Joe St. Clair, a decorated veteran of the U.S. Air Force, was released in Venezuela following negotiations between the government of Nicolas Maduro and Richard Grenell, special envoy of President Donald Trump.

Grenell, through his X account, stressed that the release was the result of direct negotiations with Venezuelan officials in a neutral country, underscoring Trump's “America First” strategy.

“Joe St. Clair is back in America. I met Venezuelan officials in a neutral country today to negotiate an America First strategy. This is only possible because @realDonaldTrump puts Americans first.” 

In the afternoon, journalist Jason Rantz, through his account on X, commented:

“BREAKING NEWS: Trump admin. secures release of wrongfully detained Washington veteran.”

Who is Joe St. Clair?

Joe St. Clair, who served with distinction in the Air Force, was in South America working in the food service industry and receiving medical care.

His family lost contact with him in November 2024, which generated concern. For months, they had no news of his whereabouts until, in early February 2025, the U.S. State Department informed family members that St. Clair had been unjustly detained in Venezuela.

St. Clair's relatives maintained that his detention was part of a pattern of behavior by the Venezuelan government, which has used the detention of foreigners as a tool of political pressure.

The release comes amid negotiations between the Maduro government and Grenell, who traveled to Antigua to meet with Venezuelan representatives.

The Trump administration is expected to announce a 60-day extension of the waiver allowing Chevron Corp. to operate in Venezuela. This move that reflects a balance between putting pressure on the Maduro regime and seeking economic stability in the country.

St. Clair's release follows other recent gestures between Washington and Caracas, such as Maduro thanking Trump for facilitating the reunification of a Venezuelan girl with her mother in Caracas.

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