Venezuela's interior minister on Wednesday said the exit of Venezuelan opposition members from Argentina's diplomatic residence in Caracas was negotiated, after the opposition said the operation took the government by surprise.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not provide details of the group's movements to reach the U.S., but he described the event as a rescue operation.

Five Venezuelan opposition leaders who had been trapped inside the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas have been rescued and are now safely in the United States, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday night.