Venezuelan planes return to Latin American country with citizens deported from US
As tensions between the United States and Venezuela ease, nearly 200 Venezuelans who were in the U.S. illegally were sent back to their home country on two planes on Monday. This move signals a shift in relations between the two nations and is seen as a victory for the Trump administration’s efforts to have countries take back their citizens found in the U.S. without authorization.
The deportation flights from the U.S. to Venezuela had been halted for years, but were resumed under the Trump administration’s mass deportation plan. The 190 migrants returned to Venezuela on Conviasa airline flights from Fort Bliss, a U.S. Army base in El Paso, Texas. This marks a significant development in the ongoing immigration crisis at the southern border, as large numbers of Venezuelans have been entering the U.S. illegally in recent years.
The willingness of Venezuela to accept the return of these migrants came after a visit by Trump envoy Richard Grennell to Caracas a few weeks ago. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro expressed his desire for a world of peace, understanding, dialogue, and cooperation, signaling a potential thaw in relations between the two countries.
The Venezuelan government criticized the narrative surrounding the presence of Tren de Aragua gang members in the U.S., stating that most Venezuelan migrants are decent and hard-working individuals. The government accused American officials of stigmatizing the country and its people.
In addition to the deportation flights to Venezuela, there have been recent developments regarding the detention of Venezuelan migrants. Some individuals were sent to the Guantánamo Bay detention camp, where they were separated from other detainees, including planners of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. A federal judge in New Mexico temporarily blocked the Trump administration from sending three Venezuelan men to Guantánamo Bay, citing concerns about false charges and connections to the Tren de Aragua gang.
Overall, the deportation of nearly 200 Venezuelans back to their home country represents a significant step in addressing the immigration crisis at the southern border. The agreement between the U.S. and Venezuela to repatriate these individuals highlights the importance of cooperation between nations in addressing complex issues such as illegal immigration.
