Venezuela agrees with US to resume repatriation flights amid deportation row

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced in a televised address on Saturday that his government has reached an agreement with the United States to resume repatriation flights of Venezuelan migrants, with the first flights scheduled to begin on Sunday.

“Tomorrow, thanks to the government's perseverance, we'll resume flights to continue rescuing and freeing migrants from prisons in the United States,” Maduro declared. The move comes amid escalating tensions over recent deportation flights that sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador as part of President Donald Trump’s rapid U.S. deportation program.

In a related development, Venezuela’s Parliament President Jorge Rodríguez released a statement earlier in the day confirming the deal, emphasizing that “migrating isn't a crime, and we won't rest until everyone who wants to return is back and we rescue our kidnapped brothers in El Salvador.” Families and legal representatives, who have been desperate for news regarding their missing relatives, welcomed the decision, hoping it would pave the way for reuniting those stranded abroad.

The decision to resume repatriation flights comes as part of an ongoing diplomatic spat between Venezuela and the United States over the handling of Venezuelan migrants. Maduro specifically criticized El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for the deportations, stating, “To Nayib Bukele, El Salvador's President, we say that you're responsible,” and urging that the affected migrants—allegedly not involved in any criminal activity—be treated with respect for their health and rights.

While the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, U.S. officials have maintained that the deportees were identified as members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang—a claim that Venezuela's interior minister has denied. The Trump administration now faces a March 25 deadline to provide further details on the deportations, as U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reviews whether officials violated his order that temporarily blocked the expulsions.

The resumption of these flights marks a critical juncture in ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian fallout from the U.S. deportation policies and highlights the delicate balance between enforcing immigration controls and safeguarding the rights of migrants.

Copied