U.S. delegation fails to secure release of Americans in Venezuela visit

Birds fly next to a Venezuelan flag in Caracas, Venezuela January 12, 2021. REUTERS/Manaure Quintero

WASHINGTON/CARACAS (Reuters) - A U.S. delegation led by President Joe Biden's chief hostage negotiator ended a visit to Venezuela on Thursday after failing to secure the release of any of the Americans detained there, U.S. officials said.

Hostage affairs envoy Roger Carstens was part of a group that met Venezuelan officials this week to press for the handover of prisoners and coax President Nicolas Maduro's government to restart stalled negotiations with the country's opposition, according to people familiar with the matter.