President Maduro Blames US for Halting Migrant Repatriation Flights

President Nicolás Maduro has accused the United States of undermining diplomatic communications and disrupting repatriation flights for Venezuelan migrants following the US government’s decision to revoke Chevron’s license to operate in Venezuela.

Addressing a gathering of women and supporters of the Bolivarian Revolution on Saturday, March 8, at an International Women’s Day event in Caracas, President Maduro criticized the move as an unjustified escalation. “Now we face a problem: their actions have damaged the communication channels that we had opened,” he said. “We sought those channels to repatriate Venezuelans imprisoned or persecuted in the US merely for being migrants. Migration is not a crime.”

Suspension of the Return to the Homeland Program
President Maduro announced that the US sanctions had forced the suspension of the Return to the Homeland Program which had already repatriated Venezuelans from the US via scheduled flights. He cited three prior successful flights, including two from El Paso, Texas (returning 190 migrants on February 10) and one from Honduras (bringing back 176 men who had been sent to the Guantánamo Bay prison by the Trump administration).

“The US measure disrupted our planned flights to reunite migrants with their homeland. These migrants sought economic opportunities abroad due to sanctions imposed on Venezuela—sanctions that now punish them further,” he said, and called for an end to the persecution of migrants, emphasizing their dignity and right to humane treatment.

Criticism of US policy and oil sanctions
President Maduro argued that revoking Chevron’s license harmed US interests, noting the company’s century-long presence in Venezuela. “If it were up to our government and people, Chevron would remain here for another 100 years. We welcome partnerships that respect our laws and mutual benefit,” he said.

He dismissed claims of anti-US sentiment, and highlighted Venezuela’s position as anti-imperialist and pro-independence. “We are not anti-US, we oppose colonialism and imperialism. Venezuela refuses to be a colony or slave to any nation,” he stressed.

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Condemning US interference and corruption
The Venezuelan president accused the United States of enabling corruption by shielding politicians like opposition leader Juan Guaidó and María Corina Machado. “The US buried evidence of Guaidó’s corruption and now seeks to impose a ‘Guaidó 2.0’ on Venezuela,” he decried. “But neither they nor their allies will succeed—Venezuela is united and moving forward.”

He also condemned the Trump administration’s sanctions as driven by “hatred and revenge,” vowing to resist economic warfare. “Venezuela must thrive in peace, stability, and growth. Our people will conquer their own future through work and unity,” he added.

Call for economic resilience
President Maduro announced the activation of the Absolute Productive Independence Plan to boost oil production, urging citizens to prioritize national unity. “No one will hand us prosperity. We must achieve it through effort and solidarity,” he said. He clarified that those oil fields that Chevron would leave will continue to operate as PDVSA, the main shareholder in these joint ventures, will continue working in those fields.

(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/SC