The United States said Thursday, October 5, it will resume deportation flights to Venezuela after a deal with Caracas, as President Joe Biden, seeking reelection, comes under pressure to halt border crossings. Washington has for years halted sending migrants back to Venezuela due to instability in the South American nation and still maintains sanctions against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. But Venezuela, one of the main countries of origin for surging numbers of migrants crossing the southern US border from Mexico, agreed to take back its nationals, the US said.
"Today the United States is announcing the resumption of removal flights to Venezuela," a senior Biden administration official said. "This comes following a decision from the authorities of Venezuela to accept back their nationals." The first flights will resume "in the next few days". They will affect Venezuelan migrants who have arrived in the United States illegally since July 31. "We have already identified individuals in our custody today, who will be removed promptly in the coming days," the official said.
Venezuela confirmed the deal but blamed US sanctions for the flow of migrants. "The Venezuelan migration in recent years is the direct consequence of the unilateral coercive measures and the blockade of our economy... by the United States," the government said in a statement.
The announcement comes on the same day as the Biden administration said it was extending the US border wall with Mexico, with Biden under pressure from Republicans to curb migration. More than 100,000 Venezuelans have been intercepted by US border patrol after crossing the southern US frontier from Mexico between May and the end of August, a source told AFP.
The United States meanwhile denied that it was overlooking rights concerns in Venezuela to push through the deal. "This decision is consistent with the administration's efforts to implement a strategy of humane, safe, and orderly enforcement of our immigration laws," the State Department statement said.
Venezuela's Maduro, the heir to firebrand leftist Hugo Chavez, last won an election in 2018 in a vote widely criticized internationally for alleged irregularities. The United States declared Maduro to be illegitimate and recognized then opposition leader Juan Guaido, imposing sweeping sanctions on Venezuela including its key money-making oil sector. But Guaido failed to take control and the opposition removed him late last year.
In signs of a possible thaw, the Biden administration last year approved an oil project in Venezuela by Chevron and has voiced a willingness to ease sanctions further in return for progress.