Deportation flights to Venezuela are set to restart, as confirmed by a high-ranking U.S. diplomat, notwithstanding the recent revocation of Chevron’s permit to extract and sell oil from the South American nation by the Trump Administration.
“I am delighted to share that Venezuela has consented to recommence flights to transport their citizens who have violated U.S. Immigration Laws by entering the U.S. illegally,” stated Richard Grenell, a special missions envoy, in a post on X.
“The flights will begin again on Friday.”
Importance of the Situation
The detention and deportation of undocumented migrants remain a significant focus for the Trump Administration. During the first 50 days of President Donald Trump’s tenure, the arrest rate by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents surged twofold.
Analysts report that over 11 million undocumented immigrants are residing in the United States. Among those the Trump Administration aims to deport back to Venezuela are individuals identified as gang members.
On January 29, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt conveyed to reporters that the new Trump administration categorizes all undocumented migrants as criminals “for unlawfully breaking our nation’s laws.”
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Key Information
The initial deportation flights occurred in February following a month of discussions between Grenell and Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro. These flights have been run by Venezuela’s national airline, Conviasa.
This marks a rare instance of cooperation between Washington and the socialist government of Caracas, yet rising tensions regarding Chevron seemed to jeopardize the continuation of these flights.
In February, Trump had annulled a U.S. permit that allowed Chevron to extract and export Venezuelan oil.
He announced on his Truth Social platform that the permit cancellation stemmed from Maduro’s government not satisfying democratic requirements in last year’s elections and for not acting swiftly enough to repatriate Venezuelan migrants slated for deportation.
The permit was crucial for Venezuela’s economy and was nearing renewal. Maduro implied that the deportation flights were influenced by “this unexplained, tremendous commotion,” as reported by Reuters.
However, Grenell’s announcement implies that the flights are back in motion.
The Venezuelan commitment to accept deportees comes amidst rising tensions between the Trump Administration and Colombia regarding a similar initiative.
After a diplomatic standoff, Colombia eventually consented to use its aircraft for deportations, a widely perceived political victory for Trump.
Public Reactions
U.S. Secretary of State stated to Fox News in February: “Venezuela halted migration flights and deportations because they attempted to coerce Joe Biden. Donald Trump will not yield to blackmail. President Trump will not be coerced by them.”
Chevron spokesperson Bill Turenne remarked after the permit’s revocation: “We are aware of today’s announcement and are assessing its implications. Chevron operates in Venezuela in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including the sanctions framework established by the U.S. government.”
Future Developments
The Venezuelan flights are scheduled to recommence on Friday. The specifics regarding the number of individuals and the duration of this initiative remain uncertain.
Update 03/13/25 3:37 p.m. ET: This article has been revised to include additional information.
