CARACAS, Venezuela — The Venezuelan government has decided to reopen its skies to repatriation flights from the United States, facilitating the return of its deported citizens. This comes after the two nations reached an accord, according to a declaration from a Venezuelan official via social media.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had previously halted these flights on March 8. This decision followed the U.S. Treasury Department’s removal of Chevron’s license to export Venezuelan oil, which was perceived as a significant diplomatic slight.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s Assembly and the principal negotiator with the U.S., announced, “We have come to an agreement with the U.S. government to resume the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants, initiating with a flight slated for tomorrow, Sunday.” Rodríguez emphasized that this deal was made to ensure the safe return of Venezuelan nationals, with their human rights being fully safeguarded.
He recalled the controversial deportation of approximately 250 Venezuelans to a highly secure prison in El Salvador by the Trump administration. Rodríguez stressed, “Migrating is not a crime, and we are committed to facilitating the return of all who desire it, in addition to reclaiming our compatriots held in El Salvador.”
Later, Maduro reinforced this commitment during a public address, stating, “We are restoring flights to bring back and emancipate migrants from U.S. detention centers.” Additionally, he placed the onus on El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, to ensure the detained Venezuelans’ welfare, demanding, “You must ensure their well-being and eventually return them to us, as they are essentially held against their will.”
The Trump administration’s deportation actions were defended by allegations that the deported individuals were linked to the Tren de Aragua gang. However, little evidence was provided to substantiate these claims, with Trump using the Alien Enemies Act to justify such radical measures. A court subsequently issued a temporary halt to these deportations, although some flights had already taken off.
The Tren de Aragua, labeled a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State, is a group that emerged from a prison in Venezuela and expanded as many Venezuelans migrated due to the country’s economic turmoil over the past decade.
Despite the Trump administration’s claims, there has been scant proof to confirm that the deported individuals were affiliated with Tren de Aragua or involved in criminal activities within the U.S. Typically, the Venezuelan government has been resistant to accepting deportees from the U.S., especially since the acceleration of such actions coinciding with Trump’s presidency.
Recently, approximately 350 Venezuelans have been deported back to their homeland, among them around 180 individuals who were temporarily held at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Trump administration maintained these people were linked to Tren de Aragua, yet tangible evidence remained elusive.
