Diosdado Cabello receives the first Venezuelan deportees

Diosdado Cabello (wanted by the State Department with a reward of $25 million) was the Venezuelan dictatorship's representative in charge of receiving the first Venezuelans deported from the U.S.

Cabello, who is wanted by the federal government for conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and firearms charges, assured that the Venezuelans who arrived in his country on the two flights operated by CONVIASA (Venezuelan airline sanctioned by the U.S.) "will undergo a medical check, personal check and criminal background check".

'Repatriation flights to Venezuela have resumed'

Both the U.S. government and the Venezuelan dictatorship confirmed the flights, though without specifying the number of passengers or exact routes. The estimation is around 180 Venezuelans.

"Repatriation flights to Venezuela have resumed," announced the White House on X. According to the post, the flights were supervised by Richard Grenell, a key Trump advisor and his envoy for special missions, who recently traveled to Venezuela.

The Venezuelan regime issued a statement in which it rejected the narrative linking Venezuelan migrants to the Tren de Aragua gang. According to the official statement, such statements are "malicious" and "false" and seek to stigmatize Venezuelans, most of whom, they assure, are "honest and hard-working" citizens.

Government transfers group of immigrants to Guantanamo Bay

Deportations from the U.S. to Venezuela were suspended for several years but resumed briefly in October 2023, when Joe Biden's administration organized a flight with approximately 130 migrants. Since 2021, Venezuelans have been among the largest groups crossing the southern border illegally.

The resumption of deportation flights to Venezuela comes just days after the U.S. government transferred a group of migrants to the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba. It also coincides with recent agreements between the U.S. and the governments of El Salvador and Guatemala for these countries to receive migrants other than their own citizens.

Grenell recently visited Venezuela. Following this, Trump stated that the regime of Nicolas Maduro had agreed to receive "all illegal Venezuelans in the U.S., including members of Tren de Aragua," and that Venezuela would cover the costs of their removal. At that time, in addition, six U.S. citizens who were detained in Venezuela were released.