United States to resume deportation flights to Venezuela
File photo.
The Joe Biden-led US administration said on Thursday (Oct 5) that it would resume deportation flights to Venezuela after a deal with Caracas. For years, the US had halted sending migrants back to Venezuela because of instability in the latter country and still maintains sanctions against the government led by Nicolas Maduro. However, Washington said on Thursday Venezuela has agreed to take back its nationals.
According to a report by the news agency AFP, a senior Biden administration official said the first deportation flights would resume in the next few days. They would 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 blames US sanctions for flow of migrants
Confirming the development, Venezuela on Thursday 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.
Citing a source, the AFP report said that over 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.
The US, 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."
Last month, the Biden administration announced it would grant temporary deportation relief and access to work permits to nearly half a million Venezuelans already in the country as of July.
(With inputs from agencies)
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