Two flights carrying about 190 Venezuelans deported from the United States landed in Caracas late Monday, marking the first repatriation under a new agreement between Venezuela and the Trump administration.
The arrivals follow a January 31 meeting between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, in which Maduro agreed to accept deported migrants.
As the first plane touched down, Maduro announced on national television, “The first plane has just arrived.” Shortly after, a second aircraft landed carrying additional deportees, according to AFP.
The deportees included individuals suspected of having ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, a notorious Venezuelan criminal organization. Authorities have said that these individuals would be investigated further.
Trump, who has promised the largest deportation campaign in US history, confirmed Venezuela’s cooperation, writing on Truth Social that “Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the US, including gang members of Tren de Aragua.”
He also said that Venezuela would fund the transportation of deportees. The White House later posted a photo of handcuffed and shackled individuals boarding a Conviasa plane, with the caption, “Repatriation flights to Venezuela have resumed… Make America Safe Again.
The flights could mark a turning point in strained US-Venezuela relations, though it remains unclear what Maduro gained from the deal. His government issued a statement expressing hope for “a new beginning of relations between the two countries, based on respect”.
Despite this, Washington still does not recognise Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, maintaining that the 2024 election he claimed victory in was fraudulent.
Human rights organisations have raised alarms over the deportations, arguing that many of those sent back could face persecution. Laura Dib, a Venezuela analyst at the Washington Office on Latin America, warned that returnees might “face retaliations” from Maduro’s regime, according to the New York Times.
Past deportation attempts and US sanctions
The US previously attempted deportation flights to Venezuela under the Biden administration in 2023, but Maduro withdrew permission after just a few months. Biden had initially relaxed sanctions on Venezuelan oil in exchange for political reforms but reimposed them when Maduro failed to meet democratic commitments.
Meanwhile, Trump’s administration has maintained a strict stance against Venezuelan oil, stating, “We don’t need Venezuelan oil.”
It remains uncertain whether more deportation flights will follow, as neither Venezuela nor the US have commented on future plans.