Maduro's regime claims that the US suspended deportation flights, although the Trump administration denies this
The arrival of U.S. planes carrying undocumented Venezuelans continued regularly throughout the year despite the military deployment ordered by Donald Trump in the Caribbean in August.
Venezuelan immigrant deportation flight/ Federico Parra
Venezuela's Interior Ministry assured that the United States "unilaterally" suspended a flight with deported migrants scheduled for this Friday as part of the repatriation program, which has been maintained despite the crisis in the countries' relations. However, hours later, a U.S. official denied the information.
The interruption announced by Caracas comes after the United States seized a ship loaded with Venezuelan oil and announced new sanctions against six shipping companies that transport crude from the country and against relatives of dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Caracas received "the decision of the U.S. government to suspend, unilaterally, the return of Venezuelan citizens" this Friday, Dec. 12, the ministry said Thursday night on Telegram.
"It is trusted that the U.S. government will rectify [this] sooner rather than later and the process of return of the affected Venezuelans will be restarted," the publication added.
Nevertheless, a U.S. official spoke to Reuters and denied that the flights had been suspended: “There is no truth to this. Deportation flights to Venezuela will continue.”
The arrival of U.S. planes carrying undocumented Venezuelans remained steady throughout the year despite the military deployment ordered by Donald Trump in the Caribbean in August.
Deportation flights
Hitherto, flights of deportees had not been halted at Washington's initiative, even though Trump stated in late November that Venezuelan airspace should be considered "totally closed."
At the time, Venezuela responded with a brief interruption of the repatriation program, but reauthorized the flights a few days later.
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