Venezuela has reached a new agreement to restart repatriation flights carrying migrants who were in the U.S. illegally.
The announcement was made by top Venezuelan officials and confirmed by President Nicolás Maduro in a televised address.
Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
Why It Matters
The move comes as tensions between the two countries remain high after the U.S. Treasury Department revoked Chevron’s license to export Venezuelan oil—prompting Caracas to suspend deportation flights on March 8.
Venezuelans deported from the United States arrive at Simon Bolivar International Airport on February 24, 2025, in La Guaira, Venezuela.
Jesus Vargas/Getty Images
What to Know
The Trump administration recently flew more than 200 alleged members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang to a notorious prison in El Salvador, with little or no due process. The gang was designated as a terrorist organization by the president on his first day back in office.
The deal to resume flights was made as Trump continues to pursue his 2024 campaign pledge to oversee the largest mass deportations of undocumented migrants from the U.S. in history.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly and Maduro’s chief negotiator with the U.S., confirmed the agreement Saturday via social media.
He said the flights were resuming to guarantee the “return of our compatriots” and to ensure their human rights are protected.
Maduro also discussed the deal in a live televised address, according to Reuters. He said the deal would allow Venezuela to continue “rescuing and releasing” migrants from U.S. prisons.
The Venezuelan president also criticized El Salvador’s leader, Nayib Bukele, saying he was “responsible” for the alleged gang members being flown from the U.S. to the Central American country.
Venezuelan officials have denied that those flown to El Salvador were members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
The Trump administration is accused of violating a ruling from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, which halted attempts to quickly deport Venezuelan migrants labeled as gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
The White House claimed that the flights carrying the alleged Tren de Aragua gang members were outside U.S. territory when Boasberg’s ruling was issued, and therefore were free to continue to El Salvador rather than return to the U.S.
In a March 16 social media post, Bukele wrote, “Oopsie… Too late,” while sharing a news headline about Boasberg’s ruling.
What People Are Saying
Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s Assembly, said in a Saturday statement:
“In order to ensure the return of our countrymen with the protection of their human rights, we have agreed with the U.S. government to resume the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants with a first flight tomorrow. Migrating is not a crime, and we will not rest until all those who want to return are home, and until we rescue our brothers kidnapped in El Salvador.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Saturday: “Tomorrow, thanks to the perseverance and persistence of our government, we will resume flights to continue rescuing and releasing migrants from U.S. prisons. To Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s president, we say that you’re responsible. You have to guarantee their health and, sooner rather than later, you have to free them and hand them over.”
Mirelys Casique, whose son García Cacique, was sent to El Salvador, previously told Newsweek: “My son is not a criminal; he is a barber. Since leaving Venezuela, he has worked as a barber, starting little by little. He entered the United States when there was a humanitarian channel to help people from our country.”
What Happens Next
The flights from the U.S. to Venezuela are set to commence on Sunday.
Boasberg ordered the Trump administration to provide details on how it did not violate his deportation ruling by March 25.
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