US repatriates over 170 Venezuelan migrants from Guantanamo to Caracas

The United States has repatriated more than 177 deported Venezuelan migrants from the Guantanamo military base, a US-controlled facility in Cuba, back to Venezuela.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the transfer of the migrants, who were flown to Honduras on February 20 before being handed over to Venezuelan authorities, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Venezuelan officials took custody of the deportees at Soto Cano, a joint US-Honduras military airbase, before escorting them to Caracas aboard a Conviasa flight. Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela's Interior Minister, was on-site at the airport to welcome the arrivals, boarding the aircraft as it landed.

"This is the result of a direct request made by our government to the United States," said President Nicolás Maduro, claiming that his citizens were "rescued" through this repatriation. A spokesperson from the US Department of Homeland Security confirmed that of the 177 individuals, 126 had criminal charges or convictions, with 80 reportedly linked to Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan criminal group. The remaining 51 deportees had no criminal history.

Cabello stated in a televised address that the repatriated migrants would undergo health checks upon arrival, and any unresolved criminal charges would be addressed in Venezuelan courts.

The deportation follows an earlier lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which sought to gain access to detainees at Guantanamo Bay, amid concerns of denied legal representation. In a court filing on February 20, US authorities acknowledged that while Venezuela had historically resisted accepting its citizens' repatriation, it had now reversed its position following "high-level political discussions and significant resources" invested in the effort.

On the same day, advocacy group Witness at the Border reported the arrival of additional deportation flights from Texas and Louisiana to Guantanamo Bay, which may suggest a continued pattern of migrant transfers.

This move comes shortly after Venezuela dispatched two planes to the US last week, returning nearly 190 deported Venezuelan nationals, signalling a potential thaw in relations between the two countries, despite the ongoing tensions surrounding President Maduro’s disputed election.

By Aghakazim Guliyev