Venezuela has agreed with the US to resume repatriation flights for deported Venezuelan nationals, its officials announced on Saturday.
Jorge Rodriguez, Venezuela’s National Assembly President, confirmed the first flight would depart on Sunday. He said the goal was to “ensure the return of our countrymen with the protection of their human rights.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had suspended the flights on March 8 after US President Donald Trump accused Venezuela of failing to meet its commitments.
In response, Caracas refused to accept further flights. The situation escalated when the US government moved against US energy giant Chevron, suspending its license to export Venezuelan oil.
Caracas and Washington have clashed over the U.S deporting over 200 Venezuelans to a high-security prison in El Salvador, with Venezuela slamming the move as “kidnapping.”
Washington claims the deportees belong to the Tren de Aragua gang — designated a foreign terrorist organization by the US State Department. Venezuela denies this claim.
In a televised speech, Maduro also addressed Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, telling him “you’re responsible.”
“You have to guarantee their health and sooner rather than later, you have to free them and hand them over,” Maduro told Bukele.
Maduro maintained that the migrants hadn’t committed crimes in the US or El Salvador.
Source: DW News and other media outlets
