The U.S. announces the resumption of deportation flights to Venezuela

The United States government will shortly resume deportation flights to Venezuela, as confirmed this Friday by Tom Homan, known as the "Border Czar."

"These flights will take place within the next 30 days, and I can't say how many; we are still working on all those details,” Homan said in a statement to The New York Times.

Despite Trump's refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Nicolás Maduro, who began a new term on January 10 amid allegations of electoral fraud from the opposition—claiming the victory of Edmundo González Urrutia—last week President Trump sent Richard Grenell to Caracas.

Grenell met with Nicolás Maduro in an attempt to bridge the gap between the two countries, whose diplomatic relations have been suspended since 2019.

An unexpected agreement between Trump and Maduro

Subsequently, the White House reported that it had achieved the release of six American citizens detained in Venezuela and, in exchange, secured Maduro's commitment to accept deported migrants.

In a symbolic gesture, they shook hands while the president of the Venezuelan parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, smiled in the background.

The Maduro government issued a statement reaffirming its intention to maintain a “dialogue as equals” with the U.S.

Days later, Maduro proposed a loan program of 10 million dollars to support Venezuelan migrants returning to the country.

This movement suggests that Caracas may be preparing for the arrival of deportees, although it has not yet officially confirmed that it will accept all repatriated individuals.

Currently, some Venezuelans, deemed dangerous criminals, are already at the Guantanamo Naval Base, following their arrival on two flights conducted on Tuesday and Thursday of this week.

In total, there are 23 illegal immigrants in Guantánamo, although it is not clear that all of them are Venezuelans.

Of the first group of 10, it was said that they were members of the Tren de Aragua gang; in the second case, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, specified that the 13 were Venezuelans.

Venezuelans in the United States

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans reside in the United States, many of them under temporary immigration reliefs that have been revoked by the administration of Donald Trump, including the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of 2023.

This decision leaves them vulnerable to the ambitious deportation plan of the Republican president.

However, amid this apparent rapprochement, the United States seized a plane owned by the Venezuelan government that was in the Dominican Republic on Thursday.

The action, justified by alleged violations of export control laws and Washington's sanctions, was announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his official visit to the Caribbean island.

In response, the Maduro government described the seizure as a "brazen theft" and condemned the measure on Friday.

Trump's Change of Strategy Regarding Venezuela

During his first term, Trump unsuccessfully attempted to overthrow Maduro by imposing economic sanctions, supporting opposition leader Juan Guaidó, and offering a $15 million reward for the capture of the Venezuelan president on charges of narco-terrorism.

However, with the increasing wave of Venezuelan migrants in the U.S. and its electoral promise to curb illegal immigration, the dynamics have changed.

Now, Trump needs Maduro to accept the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants, a factor that gives the Caracas government greater influence, notes The New York Times.

Moreover, Venezuela is holding at least five Americans and two permanent residents in the U.S., according to the human rights group Foro Penal. This strengthens Maduro's bargaining power, as he could use these hostages as leverage in future negotiations.

Possible concessions from the U.S. to Venezuela

The agreement could also bring about other changes in Washington's policy towards Caracas. Among the measures being considered are:

-The partial lifting of sanctions on the Venezuelan oil sector, one of the main sources of revenue for Maduro's regime.

-The restoration of direct commercial flights between the U.S. and Venezuela, suspended since 2019.

These actions could create friction within the Republican Party itself.

María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, leaders of the Venezuelan opposition, have criticized any attempt to ease sanctions, arguing that Maduro is weakened and that it is necessary to maintain pressure to force his departure.

Senator Marco Rubio, a staunch opponent of the Chavista regime, has also expressed his discontent. In 2022, Rubio warned that deporting Venezuelans back to their country would be a "very real death sentence" due to the conditions of repression and humanitarian crisis.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Resumption of Deportation Flights to Venezuela