For the first time since the earthquakes: USA resumed deportation flights to Venezuela

The United States resumed deportation flights to Venezuela on Monday for the first time since the deadly earthquakes that struck the South American country in late June. On the first flight since the disaster, 147 Venezuelan migrants were deported; the aircraft took off from Miami and landed in the state of Anzoátegui. The Trump administration had previously deported hundreds of Venezuelans weekly, but the operation was halted following the earthquakes.

The earthquakes, with a magnitude exceeding 7, destroyed vast areas of the country and resulted in the deaths of over 6,000 people. The last flight before the disaster, carrying 146 Venezuelans, landed just hours before the earthquake, and many of its passengers were killed when the hotel where they were housed collapsed.

The flight on Monday landed at the General José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport in the city of Barcelona, as reported by CNN. Marvin Maldonado, head of the return program to Venezuela, welcomed the arrival of the migrants in a social media post, noting that they are "returning home to reunite with their families, continue their studies, and contribute to national development."

Many Venezuelans risked their lives on dangerous journeys to reach the United States, fleeing economic crisis and political oppression. Last October, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 300,000 Venezuelan migrants, leading to an increase in deportations.

Since then, the United States has deported hundreds of people per week; in May, a month before the earthquakes, 1,746 Venezuelans were deported. After the Trump administration captured President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation in January, deportation flights were increased under acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

According to the return program, Monday's flight was the 165th since the beginning of 2025, when Caracas and Washington resumed flights as part of an immigration agreement. Venezuela is currently facing a multi-year recovery process following the twin earthquakes that left entire regions in ruins.

The disaster caused economic damage equivalent to 6% of the country's GDP, according to the UN Development Programme. Since the capture of Maduro, his former deputy Rodríguez has worked to restore diplomatic relations with the United States, opened the country's oil sector to American investment, released some political prisoners, and aligned with Washington's regional projects.