US threatens escalating sanctions on Venezuela over deportation flights

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stark warning to the Venezuelan government, threatening to impose "severe and escalating sanctions" if it refuses to accept deported citizens from the United States.

The statement, made via a post on social media platform X, comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to deport Venezuelans living illegally in the US, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"Unless the Maduro regime accepts a consistent flow of deportation flights, without further excuses or delays, the US will impose new, severe, and escalating sanctions," Rubio said in a post.

He emphasized that the repatriation of Venezuelan citizens should not be up for debate or negotiation.

Venezuela is obligated to accept its repatriated citizens from the U.S. This is not an issue for debate or negotiation. Nor does it merit any reward. Unless the Maduro regime accepts a consistent flow of deportation flights, without further excuses or delays, the U.S. will impose…

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 18, 2025

"Venezuela should be taking them, but they refuse to take them. And so, we are fortunate to have a friend like President Bukele who, as part of my meeting with him said we will take them for a fraction of what it costs you guys to house them in your own prison system," he said.

 The Venezuelan government, however, has consistently rejected US sanctions, describing them as "illegitimate" and accusing the US of waging an "economic war" aimed at destabilizing Venezuela. Despite this, Maduro and his allies have touted the country's resilience, though they have occasionally acknowledged that sanctions have contributed to the nation's ongoing economic difficulties, including shortages and inflation.

Rubio’s threat follows a recent statement by Richard Grenell, President Donald Trump's special envoy tasked with securing the release of six US citizens imprisoned in Venezuela. Grenell confirmed that the Maduro government had agreed to accept repatriation flights for deported Venezuelans. This development comes as the Trump administration also seeks to ramp up deportations of Venezuelan nationals and address the legal status of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who migrated to the US under Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

The US government has been pushing to end TPS protections for Venezuelans, arguing that the conditions that initially justified the status—Venezuela's political and economic crisis—are not improving under Maduro’s rule. Many of these migrants came to the US to escape the hardships caused by the collapse of Venezuela’s economy.

In addition, the Trump administration's stance on Venezuela includes tighter measures on the country's oil industry. In February, Trump revoked a permit allowing Chevron to export oil from Venezuela to the US, citing the Maduro government's failure to meet democratic benchmarks for free and fair elections.

The administration’s tough approach also includes efforts to deport Venezuelan gang members. Over the weekend, 238 members of Venezuelan gangs were flown to a high-security prison in El Salvador, despite a federal judge’s order temporarily blocking the deportations.

By Vafa Guliyeva