Richard Grenell, who has been appointed as the U.S. special envoy for North Korea and Venezuela, is scheduled to visit Venezuela on the 31st (local time), CNN reported. Special envoy Grenell is expected to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to discuss the issue of deporting illegal immigrants.
Special envoy Grenell is considered a "loyalist" who held key positions in the Trump administration's first term, including U.S. ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence (DNI). In the second term, he has been assigned to address issues related to Venezuela instead of North Korea.
Since he took office on the 20th, President Trump has been conducting a massive crackdown on illegal immigrants across the United States. He has been using military aircraft to deport immigrants back to their home countries in Central and South America. However, due to President Maduro's refusal to accept Venezuelan nationals deported from the U.S. and the strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, there are difficulties in deporting illegal immigrants from Venezuela.
In response, the Trump administration is reportedly discussing a tougher approach, including sanctions against Venezuela, according to CNN.
Previously, during his first term in 2019, President Trump designated President Maduro as a dictator and implemented a strategy to pressure him to step down. He also elevated then-Speaker Juan Guaido as "interim president," leading to a severe standoff between the two leaders.
Additionally, during the Venezuelan presidential election last July, President Trump also asserted that Maduro succeeded in his third term amid allegations of electoral fraud, intensifying the confrontation. He even invited former ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez, who competed against Maduro, to his inauguration.