Rick Scott Pushes For Trump's Envoy to Find Maduro A 'New Country'

Florida Senator Rick Scott said on Friday he expects that the meeting between Richard Grenell, Trump envoy for special missions, with Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro will result in the latter "finding a new country" along with other top members of his regime.

"I hope that during today's visit, the only thing Richard Grenell focuses on is demanding the return of the kidnapped Americans, ensuring that Maduro takes back the thugs and gang members in our country, and finding a new country for Maduro, Diosdado, and anyone else involved in this thuggish regime to relocate to ASAP," Scott said in a publication on X.

The meeting was reported by CNN's Kristen Holmes, who said it will take place on Friday. The topics addressed have not surfaced, but it is expected that migration will take a central role as Venezuela is among the countries with the largest amount of people attempting to reach the U.S. but whose government won't take them back if deported.

Back in November, a Wall Street Journal report detailed that U.S. oil executives and bondholders were pressuring then-President-elect Donald Trump to deport from "maximum pressure" strategy aimed at removing Maduro, proposing a pragmatic deal instead: increased Venezuelan oil exports to the U.S. in exchange for reduced outward migration and willingness to take deportees.

The push came as Maduro consolidated his grip in Venezuela after clinging on to power following contested elections in July, where his regime claimed victory without presenting supporting evidence. Opposition figures continue to challenge the results, and Maduro has intensified his crackdown on dissent, threatening further arrests as the date set for the inauguration looms large.

Edmundo González, recognized by the U.S. as the country's president-elect, warned against such an agreement this week, saying such a scenario could further strengthen his grip on power. Speaking to The Washington Post, he said sending deported Venezuelans directly back to Maduro would allow him to use them for political gain. Instead, he is suggesting that deportees be sent to a third country.

"It's in the United States' best interest to follow a strategy that helps ensure Nicolás Maduro is no longer in power," González said. "Once that happens, hundreds of Venezuelans will return to our country."

In fact, the Trump administration is seeking a deal with its Salvadorean counterpart to send members of Venezuelan-born gang Tren de Aragua to its prisons, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

The possibility is set to be addressed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he visits the country during the coming days as part of his first international trip on the post.

The Trump administration also wants the Central American nation to be designated as a "safe third country," something that would entail it taking migrants from other countries and require them to request asylum there before doing so in the U.S.