Two flights carrying Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States are set to arrive in Venezuela on Monday night, according to the country’s Ministry of Communication and Information.
These flights mark a step forward for Donald Trump’s administration, which has pledged to deport millions of undocumented migrants. To achieve this, Trump needs the cooperation of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has so far resisted accepting deported citizens, except for a brief period during Joe Biden’s presidency.
The planes, operated by Venezuelan airline Conviasa, departed from Fort Bliss, Texas, where the migrants had been detained, at around 10:45 a.m. They are expected to land in Caracas at 7:15 p.m., according to the flight tracking website Flight Aware.
The announcement of these flights comes shortly after Richard Grenell, a Trump adviser, visited Venezuela and returned to the U.S. with six American citizens who had been detained by Maduro’s government.
The identities of the passengers on these flights have not yet been confirmed, but there are concerns that some may face persecution upon returning to Venezuela. In a statement, the Venezuelan government said it had been “notified by the government of the United States of America” that some of the deported individuals are allegedly members of the criminal organization known as Tren de Aragua. According to the statement, these individuals will undergo a “thorough investigation” upon arrival and will face the corresponding legal actions.
Meanwhile, Maduro remains a controversial figure on the international stage. The United States has accused him of conspiracy to engage in drug trafficking, and the International Criminal Court is investigating him for crimes against humanity.
