A flight carrying Venezuelan migrants deported from the US arrives at the Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas on Friday, October 17, 2025. Photo: IG/@minjusticia_ve.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—This week, Venezuela received a new group of 349 repatriated migrants from the United States, with two flights arriving at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state. The arrivals occurred despite social media misinformation campaigns falsely claiming that the repatriation program had been canceled.
Repatriation flight number 77 landed from the US on Wednesday, October 15, carrying 153 Venezuelans: 122 men, 21 women, and 10 children. Venezuela’s Interior Ministry reported the flight was scheduled for a morning arrival but was delayed due to weather conditions, eventually landing at 3:40 p.m.
View this post on Instagram
It was followed by flight number 78 on Friday, also from the US, with 196 passengers: 24 women, 169 men, and three children. Flights 77 and 78 were operated by the US-based airline Eastern.
This week’s arrivals bring the total number of Venezuelans repatriated from the US since the program resumed in February to 14,947.
Venezuelan migration
Most Venezuelan migrants in the US originally left after being affected by the economic crisis between 2015 and 2020, a direct consequence of illegal US sanctions against Venezuela.
Following a massive smear campaign and incidents of xenophobic and racist violence in the US, alleging Venezuelan migrants were criminals or mental health patients, the US government began detaining and deporting them. This occurred despite the majority of migrants having no criminal record and many having legal regularization procedures underway.
US Deports 583 Migrants to Venezuela as Government Demands Return of Abducted Children
Return to the Homeland plan
Venezuelan authorities received the repatriated migrants following the protocols of the Return to the Homeland plan. The comprehensive care provided upon arrival includes healthcare, psychological support, and criminal, identification, and socioeconomic checks.
The Return to the Homeland plan was launched by President Nicolás Maduro in 2018 to repatriate vulnerable Venezuelans stranded abroad free of cost. The program aims to assist those who have been victims of xenophobia and exploitation to ensure their dignified and safe return. It offers comprehensive support to facilitate a successful and trauma-free reintegration into Venezuelan society.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SF
