The Venezuelan government announced on December 7, 2023, that the United States had “unilaterally” suspended a deportation flight scheduled to arrive in Caracas the following day. This decision has raised concerns over the continuity of a coordinated repatriation program aimed at facilitating the return of Venezuelan nationals detained in the U.S. The Interior Ministry of Venezuela stated that this suspension “interrupts a coordinated process” and urged Washington to “rectify sooner rather than later.”
In response, a U.S. administration official disputed the Venezuelan claims, telling Reuters that “there is nothing true about this,” and confirmed that deportation flights to Venezuela would “continue.” However, the official did not clarify whether the flight scheduled for December 12 would proceed as planned.
Escalating Tensions and Humanitarian Concerns
The dispute over the flight comes amid increasing tensions between Washington and Caracas. Earlier in the week, the Trump administration seized a Venezuelan oil tanker and deployed additional warships and aircraft near Venezuela as part of an anti-narcotics mission. The Venezuelan Interior Ministry remarked that the suspension “contradicts the official discourse of the United States regarding the situation of migrants in its territory and generates uncertainty among Venezuelan families who expected reunification.”
The Venezuelan government reiterated its commitment to receive its citizens, emphasizing their willingness to provide support in reintegration efforts. Despite the rising geopolitical tensions, deportation flights from the U.S. to Venezuela had continued regularly. According to official data, Venezuela has welcomed 98 flights since January 2023, typically arriving on Wednesdays and Fridays. The most recent flight, which occurred just days prior on December 5, brought back 218 deportees, as reported by NTN24.
Human Rights First’s ICE Flight Monitor estimates that approximately 10,200 Venezuelans were deported between February and early October 2023. This increase in deportations follows the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans in the U.S. in November, which has left hundreds of thousands vulnerable to possible removal following a Supreme Court ruling that allowed this policy change to move forward.
As the situation evolves, both governments remain at a crossroads, with humanitarian implications for Venezuelan families caught in the middle of diplomatic disputes. The upcoming flight on December 12 will be closely monitored, as its outcome could further impact relations between the two nations.
