First Deportation Flight to Venezuela from the US Marks Resume of Repatriations
The first deportation flight of Venezuelan migrants from the U.S. to Venezuela has begun, following a new agreement between the two countries. The flight included 199 deportees and stopped in Honduras for a transfer before heading to Caracas. Political tensions and previous sanctions had stalled repatriations, which are now expected to resume consistently. Venezuelan leaders have stressed migration is not a crime and highlighted the need for humane treatment of those detained.
The first deportation flight of Venezuelan migrants from the United States has commenced following an agreement between the U.S. and Venezuelan governments. The U.S. Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs confirmed the flight departed for Venezuela, with a stop in Honduras for a plane change.
Honduras’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs reported that 199 Venezuelan citizens were on this flight, which took three and a half hours to transfer safely and orderly. After this, the vessel headed for Venezuela is expected to land near Caracas soon.
Repatriation flights had been stalled due to the Trump administration’s revocation of a license for Chevron to operate in Venezuela, which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro stated affected flight operations. There was also outrage over the U.S. deporting 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador, who were claimed to be part of a criminal group, while relatives argued they were innocent.
On Saturday, Jorge Rodríguez Gómez, President of Venezuela’s National Assembly, announced the agreement to resume repatriations. He emphasized that migration should not be viewed as a crime, and expressed determination to ensure the safe return of all Venezuelans detained abroad.
The U.S. State Department has not yet commented on these developments, while flight tracking data indicates that deportees were moved from a Texas charter flight to a plane bound for Caracas. Maduro has instructed his government to increase repatriation flights for Venezuelan migrants detained in the U.S.
The resumption of deportation flights represents a renewed effort by both the U.S. and Venezuela to manage migrant repatriations. This comes after a period of stalled operations due to political tensions. Key figures from both nations have emphasized the need for orderly and humane treatment of migrants, reflecting a complex interplay of immigration policies, bilateral relations, and humanitarian considerations.
Original Source: www.cnn.com
