A repatriated Venezuelan migrant setting foot at Simón Bolívar International Airport, October 29, 2025. Photo: IG/@minjusticia_ve.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—Venezuela received 573 repatriated migrants from the United States this week aboard two flights that landed at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state.
Flight number 81 of the Return to the Homeland Plan landed on Wednesday, October 29, carrying 290 nationals deported from El Paso, Texas. This group consisted of 239 men, 46 women, and eight children. It was followed by flight number 82, which arrived on Friday from Texas, with 283 Venezuelans: 220 men, 54 women, and nine children. Both flights were operated by the US-based airline Eastern, and there were no Conviasa flights this week.
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This week’s arrivals bring the total number of Venezuelans repatriated from the US since the program resumed in February to 16,040.
Venezuelan migration
The majority of Venezuelan migrants in the US originally left the country after being impacted by the economic crisis from 2015 to 2020, a situation exacerbated by illegal US sanctions. After being subjected to a widespread smear campaign and incidents of xenophobic violence in the US, which falsely labeled Venezuelan migrants as criminals or mentally ill, the US government initiated a policy of mass detention and deportation. This aggressive approach has targeted migrants, the vast majority of whom have no criminal record and many of whom had initiated legal regularization processes.
Two Flights from US Bring 520 Migrants Back to Venezuela Deported Under Controversial Policies
Return to the Homeland plan
The repatriated citizens were received under the protocols of the Return to the Homeland plan. This comprehensive program, initiated by the government of President Nicolás Maduro in 2018, provides free repatriation for Venezuelans in vulnerable conditions abroad. The program is designed to assist those who have fallen victim to xenophobia and exploitation, ensuring their dignified and safe return to their homeland. Upon arrival, migrants receive immediate support, including healthcare, psychological services, and necessary identification and socioeconomic checks to facilitate a successful reintegration into society.
The Venezuelan government has condemned the US immigration policies that led to these deportations, calling them racist, xenophobic, and a severe violation of human rights.
This ongoing repatriation program continues despite a significant escalation in hostilities from Washington against the Venezuelan government over the past three months, including an unprecedented US military build-up in the region, under the guise of the “war on drugs.”
The operational dynamics of the repatriation flights have also shifted. After more than seven months of operations by both the US airline Eastern and the Venezuelan public airline Conviasa, recent flights are now primarily operated by the US airline. Nevertheless, the continued functioning of the program suggests a persistent, albeit pragmatic, level of operational coordination between the authorities of both countries.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SC
