US and Venezuela Reach Agreement, Resume Deportation Flights

After weeks of diplomatic tension, flights carrying deported Venezuelan migrants have resumed as the United States and Venezuela reach a new agreement that reopens a contentious chapter in their strained relationship.

Quick Takes

A flight carrying 199 Venezuelans deported from the US landed at Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar airport near Caracas over the weekend.
Deportation flights had stopped after the Trump administration revoked Chevron’s license to operate in Venezuela.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro previously slammed the US for sending migrants to El Salvador, referring to them as “kidnapped.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of “severe and escalating” sanctions if Venezuela refused to accept deported citizens.
Some deportees were accused of having an affiliation with the Tren de Aragua gang.

Agreement Reached After Diplomatic Standoff

The first deportation flight under the new agreement arrived in Venezuela carrying 199 migrants who had been held in US custody, some of whom were accused of being a part of the Tren de Aragua gang. This marks a significant shift following Venezuela’s decision to suspend acceptance of deportation flights on March 8, following the US Treasury Department’s actions against Chevron’s oil export license in Venezuela. The resumption comes after intense negotiations between the two countries, with US officials maintaining that Venezuela has an obligation to accept its citizens, while Venezuelan officials characterized the agreement as part of their “Return to the Homeland Plan.”

The standoff over deportations highlights the complex and often contentious relationship between the United States and Venezuela. According to reports, Venezuela initially agreed to accept deportees in a deal negotiated by Trump’s envoy Richard Grenell in January. However, the agreement fell apart after the Trump administration’s move against Chevron, which President Maduro claimed created communication issues between the two nations.

US deportation flights to Venezuela resume following weeks-long standoff 🧵 pic.twitter.com/veOHt3jmen

— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 24, 2025

Escalating Pressure and El Salvador Connection

Before the agreement was reached, the Trump administration took the step of deporting 238 Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador. This move caused significant backlash from Venezuela, with President Maduro referring to these individuals as “kidnapped.”

Jorge Rodríguez, the president of Venezuela’s Assembly, also spoke out on the issue, declaring, “Migrating is not a crime, and we will not rest until we achieve the return of all those who require it and until we rescue our brothers kidnapped in El Salvador.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also took to social media before the agreement was reached and issued a stern warning of “severe and escalating” sanctions if Venezuela continued to refuse accepting its deported citizens. Subsequently, Rubio publicly thanked El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for accepting the migrants when Venezuela initially refused. Fox News reported that around 350 migrants have been deported to Venezuela recently, including about 180 from the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.