Venezuela has released six American male detainees after President Nicolás Maduro met Richard Grenell, the Trump administration's special envoy.

President Trump and Grenell announced the release on social media on Friday evening.

Grenell posted photos of the detainees on a plane and arriving on U.S. soil.

"We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him," Grenell wrote.

Earlier in the day, the White House urged Venezuela to release the hostages and agree to accept Venezuelans deported from the U.S.