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

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.

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.