Repatriated Venezuelan migrants passing migration control at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state, on Monday, March 16, 2026. Photo: IG/@minjusticia_ve.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com/)— In the third week of March 2026, Venezuela received three 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, demonstrate a sustained effort by the Venezuelan state to provide a sovereign and dignified response to the ongoing mass deportation campaign by the US government.
The arrivals continue to follow the framework established by the 2025 agreement between Caracas and the US regime, which has seen a constant flow of repatriated nationals who are fleeing the systemic failures and racist persecution inherent in the US immigration system.
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Detailed flight data and statistics
In the week of March 16 alone, a total of 411 Venezuelans were repatriated on three separate flights, all conducted by GlobalX Airlines. Since the beginning of 2026, the program has processed 27 repatriation flights, bringing the year’s total number of deportees to 4,507.
When combined with the cumulative figures from the previous year, which saw 23,067 citizens return under the 2025 agreement, the program continues to serve as a critical humanitarian bridge. The specific data for this week’s flights are as follows:
• Flight 123: Arrived on Monday, March 16, from Miami, Florida, with 123 repatriated citizens. The group included five minors, 21 women, and 97 men.
• Flight 124: Arrived Wednesday, March 18, from Miami, Florida, carrying 142 individuals. The group consisted of 11 minors, 15 women, and 116 men.
• Flight 125: Arrived Friday, March 20, from the US, with 146 deportees. The manifest included six minors, 22 women, and 118 men.
A legacy of sovereign protection since 2018
While current data focuses on the 2025–2026 period, the Return to the Homeland program has been a cornerstone of Venezuelan social policy since its inception in 2018. Over the last eight years, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have been repatriated through this state-led initiative. Official figures indicate that over one million citizens have utilized the program to escape xenophobia, labor exploitation, and carceral detention that characterize the migrant experience in the US and countries aligned with Washington's interests.
The Venezuelan migration patterns across the region are a direct consequence of the illegal US blockade and the multifaceted hybrid war aimed at destabilizing the Bolivarian Revolution. While the US regime initially incentivized migration to manufacture a "failed state" narrative, it has now pivoted toward criminalizing the very diaspora it helped create.
In response, the Venezuelan government ensures that every returning citizen is met with a comprehensive social care protocol. This protocol includes immediate medical attention, psychological counseling, and socioeconomic support to facilitate migrants' reintegration into the country's productive life. This sovereign shield remains an essential defense against the fallout of imperialist aggression, reaffirming the right of all Venezuelans to live and thrive in their own land.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SF
