US to deport Venezuelan migrants in 30 days under Maduro deal

The United States is set to begin deporting Venezuelan migrants back to their home country within the next 30 days, marking a significant shift in US foreign policy towards Venezuela.

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, confirmed the timeline in an interview with The New York Times, indicating that deportation flights will soon be underway, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

This move follows a deal struck between the Trump administration and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who had previously refused to accept deportation flights for his country’s nationals. In return for agreeing to the repatriation of thousands of Venezuelans, Maduro secured the release of six American citizens from Venezuelan custody, as well as a visit from Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell.

The meeting between Grenell and Maduro marked a rare diplomatic exchange between the two nations since the US withdrew its diplomats from Venezuela in 2019. While the Venezuelan government has yet to confirm the arrangement, it is seen as a major diplomatic breakthrough for Maduro, whose leadership has been marred by accusations of human rights violations and election fraud.

The United States government, under Trump, has long aimed to isolate Maduro, with a series of economic sanctions and support for opposition leader Juan Guaidó. However, with hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans residing in the US, many now vulnerable to deportation following the revocation of temporary protections, the Trump administration is turning to Venezuela for a solution.

The policy shift comes amid continued economic and political turmoil in Venezuela, which has led to an exodus of millions of its citizens. While US critics argue that conditions in Venezuela remain unsafe, with some labelling deportation as a "death sentence" for returnees, the Trump administration insists that the move is in line with its national security objectives, with deportations marking the first step in a broader strategy that could also see the lifting of sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector.

The policy shift is likely to create tensions within the US political establishment, particularly with Florida Republicans like Senator Marco Rubio, who have long advocated for a hardline stance against the Maduro government.

Though the deportation flights are set to begin soon, the long-term effects of this policy on US-Venezuela relations remain uncertain, with the move potentially altering the diplomatic landscape between the two nations for years to come.

By Aghakazim Guliyev