CARACAS, Venezuela — A new chapter in U.S.–Venezuela relations has begun as both nations confirmed a renewed agreement to restart deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants from the United States—this, following a diplomatic clash over a controversial deportation to El Salvador just a week prior.
The unexpected pivot comes after Washington transferred 238 Venezuelan nationals—allegedly tied to the criminal group Tren de Aragua—to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison. Caracas blasted the move as an “unlawful and inhumane” decision and vowed to secure their return.
In a statement released Saturday, Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and the government’s chief negotiator, said, “We are resuming direct repatriation efforts in collaboration with U.S. authorities. The first flight will land tomorrow.” He added that safeguarding the human rights of Venezuelans abroad was a national priority.
“Migration is not a crime,” Rodríguez said, “and we are determined to bring our people home with dignity.”
This marks the fifth deportation flight to Venezuela since U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term. The flights had been suspended in February following accusations by Trump that Caracas failed to honor prior agreements related to the pace of returns. Shortly after, Venezuela ceased accepting deportees altogether.
However, last week’s mass deportation to El Salvador seems to have served as a turning point—sparking not only condemnation from Caracas but also renewed diplomatic urgency.
President Nicolás Maduro, addressing the nation on Saturday evening, framed the resumed flights as a moral duty. “These young men, unjustly labeled and abandoned, will be rescued—one flight at a time,” he declared. “Tomorrow begins the mission to return our brothers and sisters to their homeland.”
The move also comes amid a broader U.S. immigration overhaul. On Friday, the U.S. announced the cancellation of temporary legal status protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants—many of them Venezuelan—previously permitted to stay under a humanitarian parole program introduced during President Joe Biden’s administration.
Affected individuals now face a 30-day countdown to leave the country.
This escalation feeds into Trump’s declared intent to launch what he calls “the largest deportation effort in American history.” His administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown, particularly on Latin American migrants, has reignited political tensions across the region.
The fragile relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela has seen numerous highs and lows. Washington cut diplomatic ties in 2019 after backing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president, following disputed elections. Although President Biden later softened some sanctions—particularly on Venezuelan oil—hopes for democratic reforms under Maduro failed to materialize. The U.S. did not recognize Maduro’s 2024 reelection victory.
Adding to the diplomatic strain is the growing controversy over the U.S.-El Salvador agreement. Using the decades-old Alien Enemies Act, Trump unilaterally designated the Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization and brokered a deal with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to house the accused in El Salvador’s sprawling CECOT prison complex.
Human rights groups have raised red flags about the legality and conditions of that facility, while family members of those deported allege they were misled—told they were being sent home, only to end up in El Salvador.
Despite the tension, Maduro expressed cautious optimism Saturday. “They will all return,” he said, referring to the group detained in El Salvador. “We will not stop until every Venezuelan is back under our protection.”
The Venezuelan government estimates that over 7 million citizens have fled the country in the last decade, escaping a prolonged economic collapse and political instability. As deportation policies harden in the U.S., many now find themselves caught in a geopolitical crossfire.
