After a standoff lasting weeks between the Trump Administration, and Venezuelan authorities, deportation flights resumed to Venezuela on Sunday. This signaled that a deal between both countries had been made.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that a flight from Venezuela carrying 199 illegal immigrants, including violent Tren de Aragua gang members, landed on Sunday.
After Nicholas Maduro stopped the flights early this month, the Trump administration promised to reach a deal to allow the Venezuelan Government to receive flights with deportees. However, the number of transfers has decreased since the beginning of Trump’s presidency.
Maduro declined to accept the flights after Trump said that he would end the permit granted by Biden to Chevron allowing the company to export Venezuelan crude oil. This effectively closed off Venezuela’s major source of revenue.
Officials in Venezuela have however confirmed that an agreement was reached on Saturday.
The network Telesur posted a statement by Jorge Rodriguez, the President of the Venezuela Assembly, and Chief Negotiator with the U.S.
Data from flight tracking shows that a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plane was to depart El Paso and land in Honduras at the Soto Cano base on Sunday afternoon. Within an hour, a second flight operated by Venezuelan airline Conviasa would land on the base.
This deal was reached after Marco Rubio, Secretary of State for the United States, warned that Venezuela could face “severe and escalating” sanctions if it refused to take back its deported citizens.
“Venezuela must accept the repatriated U.S. citizens.” Rubio wrote to X that this wasn’t a matter of discussion or negotiations. It is not worth any rewards. The U.S. is prepared to impose severe and increasing sanctions if the Maduro government does not accept a constant flow of deportation flights without any further delays or excuses.
Over the past few weeks, around 350 migrants were deported from Venezuela. This included approximately 180 people who had been held at Guantanamo, a U.S. Naval base located in Cuba.
The Trump Administration deported over 200 Venezuelan migrants last week to El Salvador’s high-security prison, in coordination with President Nayib Bukele, despite a temporary order from a federal court judge blocking their removal.
Rodriguez stated, “Migrating was not a criminal act and we won’t rest until all of those in need are returned and our kidnapped brothers from El Salvador have been rescued.”
Madura went on to condemn the flights and referred to Venezuelans detained in El Salvador on Saturday as being “kidnapped”.
Rubio expressed his gratitude for the way that Bukele’s country welcomed migrants in a recent interview.
Rubio stated that Venezuela should take the prisoners, but refused to do so. Rubio said, “We are lucky to have such a good friend as President Bukele, who during my meeting with Bukele, told me that we would take the prisoners for just a fraction of what you charge to keep them in prison.”
