US Deportation Flight Lands in Venezuela After Repatriation Agreement

A plane carrying 199 individuals deported from the United States arrived in Venezuela on Monday, landing at Maiquetia international airport outside Caracas, as per Al Jazeera.

The flight, which originated in the US and transited through Honduras, marks the resumption of repatriation flights between the two countries following a recent agreement.

The resumption of deportation flights follows a two-week suspension. The Trump administration had previously claimed Venezuela was not adhering to an agreement to promptly receive deported migrants, leading Caracas to temporarily suspend acceptance of the flights.

Prior to the agreement, the US deported 238 Venezuelan nationals, alleging their affiliation with the Tren de Aragua gang, designated a “foreign terrorist organization” by the Trump administration, to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. This move, based on a 200-year-old law permitting the detention or deportation of non-citizens during wartime, sparked criticism and legal debate, particularly as it occurred despite a court order calling for a delay.

According to human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, the Trump administration has previously sent Venezuelan deportees to third countries in Central America, citing strained relations between the US and Venezuela.

In recent weeks, Venezuela has accepted approximately 350 deportees, including roughly 180 individuals who were detained for 16 days at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Last month, President Trump stated that President Nicolas Maduro had not been accepting deported migrants “at the rapid pace” agreed upon. Concurrently, the administration revoked permission for oil giant Chevron to operate in Venezuela, a move that has impacted Venezuela’s economy.