A flight carrying 199 deported Venezuelans touched down in Caracas on Monday after weeks of halted repatriation efforts due to tensions over oil sanctions.
US and Venezuela Reach Agreement to Resume Deportations
US and Venezuela Reach Agreement to Resume Deportations
Deportations of Venezuelan migrants from the US have recommenced following a diplomatic agreement between the two nations.
In the early morning hours of Monday, a flight carrying 199 Venezuelans deported from the United States landed at Simón Bolívar airport in Caracas, marking the resumption of US repatriation flights after a temporary halt caused by diplomatic tensions.
These flights were suspended after the Trump administration revoked a license that allowed Venezuela to export oil to the US, a move tied to ongoing sanctions against the Maduro government. Negotiations took place over the weekend, resulting in an agreement that enabled the transportation of undocumented migrants back to their home country. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro welcomed the return of migrants, describing the flights as an opportunity to "rescue and free migrants from prisons in the US."
As deportees arrived, many raised their arms in a gesture of triumph upon disembarking. The migrants had been transferred from Texas to Honduras before being flown to Caracas by the Venezuelan airline Conviasa. The US Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs referred to the deportees as "illegal aliens" devoid of any basis for staying in the United States. Contrarily, Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, emphasized that migration should not be termed a crime.
This repatriation effort was initially established earlier this year as part of a diplomatic arrangement brokered by Richard Grenell, Trump's special envoy to Venezuela. However, relations soured when the US revoked Chevron's operating license in Venezuela, complicating communication pathways between the two governments. Maduro expressed concerns that this decision had hampered efforts to facilitate the return of Venezuelans unjustly held in US custody.
The Trump administration faced backlash after the deportation of 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador's notorious Cecot prison, where many families claimed their relatives had no connections to criminal activity. Following international outcry, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of "severe and escalating" sanctions against Venezuela if it did not comply with the repatriation of its citizens. In a swift response, Maduro instructed his government to enhance efforts for the return flights of detained migrants, signaling the urgency of the matter.
Overall, the resumption of deportations reflects an ongoing, complex interplay between immigration policy and diplomatic relations between the US and Venezuela, highlighting the shared challenges both countries face regarding undocumented migrants.
These flights were suspended after the Trump administration revoked a license that allowed Venezuela to export oil to the US, a move tied to ongoing sanctions against the Maduro government. Negotiations took place over the weekend, resulting in an agreement that enabled the transportation of undocumented migrants back to their home country. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro welcomed the return of migrants, describing the flights as an opportunity to "rescue and free migrants from prisons in the US."
As deportees arrived, many raised their arms in a gesture of triumph upon disembarking. The migrants had been transferred from Texas to Honduras before being flown to Caracas by the Venezuelan airline Conviasa. The US Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs referred to the deportees as "illegal aliens" devoid of any basis for staying in the United States. Contrarily, Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, emphasized that migration should not be termed a crime.
This repatriation effort was initially established earlier this year as part of a diplomatic arrangement brokered by Richard Grenell, Trump's special envoy to Venezuela. However, relations soured when the US revoked Chevron's operating license in Venezuela, complicating communication pathways between the two governments. Maduro expressed concerns that this decision had hampered efforts to facilitate the return of Venezuelans unjustly held in US custody.
The Trump administration faced backlash after the deportation of 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador's notorious Cecot prison, where many families claimed their relatives had no connections to criminal activity. Following international outcry, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of "severe and escalating" sanctions against Venezuela if it did not comply with the repatriation of its citizens. In a swift response, Maduro instructed his government to enhance efforts for the return flights of detained migrants, signaling the urgency of the matter.
Overall, the resumption of deportations reflects an ongoing, complex interplay between immigration policy and diplomatic relations between the US and Venezuela, highlighting the shared challenges both countries face regarding undocumented migrants.
