Deportation flights from the U.S. to Venezuela resumed on Sunday after a pause that lasted several weeks. This development comes after negotiations between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan government, signaling a renewed agreement to accept deportees.
On the first flight, 199 individuals, including members of the Tren de Aragua gang, were flown back to Venezuela, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security. This flight marks a significant step for the Trump administration, which has been trying to reinstate regular deportation flights to Venezuela after they were halted earlier this month by President Nicolás Maduro.
The Trump administration had faced challenges in negotiating these flights, with only four flights taking place since Trump took office. Maduro had previously refused to accept deportees, particularly after the U.S. announced it would end a permit allowing Chevron to export Venezuelan oil, a critical revenue source for the country.
However, Venezuelan officials announced that an agreement was reached to resume deportation flights as part of a plan to return citizens while ensuring their human rights. Jorge Rodríguez, the president of Venezuela’s Assembly, stated that the U.S. and Venezuela had agreed to resume repatriation efforts, starting with the flight on March 23.
Flight tracking data indicated that a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plane departed from El Paso, Texas, and was scheduled to land at Soto Cano air base in Honduras. A Venezuelan state airline plane was set to arrive shortly after, indicating a coordinated effort to facilitate the transfer of deportees.
This deal comes amid warnings from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that Venezuela would face severe sanctions if it continued to refuse to accept its citizens being deported. Rubio emphasized that Venezuela must accept the repatriation of its citizens without further delays.
In recent weeks, around 350 migrants have been deported to Venezuela, including many who had been held at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay. Last week, the Trump administration even coordinated the deportation of over 200 Venezuelan migrants to a high-security prison in El Salvador, despite a federal judge’s order temporarily blocking such actions.
This situation has drawn criticism from Maduro, who referred to the deported individuals as "kidnapped." He has expressed discontent over the U.S. actions, highlighting the strained relations between the two countries.
As the Trump administration continues to push for the acceptance of deportees, the future of these flights will likely depend on ongoing negotiations and the willingness of the Venezuelan government to cooperate.