The new head of the Return to the Homeland Program, Melvin Maldonado, receiving Venezuelan migrants deported by the US regime at the Simón Bolívar International Airport on Monday, March 30, 2026. Photo: IG/@minjusticia_ve.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—During the final week of March and the first day of April 2026, Venezuela received two additional groups of citizens under the Return to the Homeland (Vuelta a la Patria) program. These latest arrivals at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state, reinforce the Venezuelan state’s commitment to providing a dignified and sovereign alternative to the mass deportations by US imperialism.
The repatriation process is governed by the 2025 agreement between Caracas and Washington, serving as a vital channel for nationals fleeing the systemic failures, labor exploitation, and racist persecution that characterize the US immigration system.
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Deputy Mervin Maldonado, the newly appointed head of the Return to the Homeland program, was present to personally receive the migrants repatriated on the week’s final flight. On Tuesday, March 24, the National Assembly authorized Maldonado’s appointment to this executive position, replacing Camilla Fabri.
Detailed flight data and statistics
Last week, a total of 350 Venezuelans were repatriated on two separate flights. With these arrivals, the program has processed 31 flights since the beginning of 2026, bringing the year’s total to 5,159 repatriated citizens.
When combined with the 23,067 citizens who returned under the current agreement in 2025, the program continues to function as a critical humanitarian bridge against imperialist hostility. The specific data for last week’s flights is as follows:
• Flight 128: Arrived on Monday, March 30, from Phoenix, Arizona, with 209 repatriated citizens. The group included 10 minors, 52 women, and 147 men. The flight was operated by the US-based Eastern Airlines.
• Flight 129: Arrived Wednesday, April 1, from Opa-locka, Florida, carrying 141 individuals. The group consisted of two minors, 21 women, and 118 men. The flight was operated by the US-based airline GlobalX.
Sovereign defense against imperialist-driven displacement since 2018
The Return to the Homeland program, launched by President Nicolás Maduro in 2018, stands as a cornerstone of the Bolivarian Revolution’s commitment to its diaspora. For nearly eight years, this state-funded initiative has acted as a protective shield for over one million Venezuelans who have faced the grim realities of xenophobia, labor exploitation, and carceral detention within the US and its regional allies.
These migration flows are not organic; they are the direct consequence of the illegal US blockade and hybrid war intended to drain Venezuela of its human capital while pushing a “failed state” propaganda narrative. Having initially weaponized migration to destabilize Venezuela, the US regime has pivoted to the aggressive criminalization and deportation of the very diaspora it helped produce since the return of President Donald Trump.
In response to this aggression, the Venezuelan government implements a comprehensive social care protocol for every returning citizen. This includes immediate medical screening, psychological support, and socioeconomic integration measures to ensure migrants can contribute to the country’s productive life. This sovereign shield remains an essential defense, reaffirming the right of all Venezuelans to build futures in their own land, free from the shadow of imperialist intervention.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SF
