A flight carrying 266 Venezuelan migrants landed in Venezuela on Wednesday, marking the crucial resumption of deportation flights after a brief, tense suspension. The Eastern Airlines charter from Phoenix landed near Caracas after President Donald Trump demanded an end to the chaotic back-and-forth.
The flight had been temporarily grounded after President Trump wrote on social media that Venezuelan airspace should be considered “closed in its entirety.” The move, which Caracas predictably called a “colonialist threat,” triggered a diplomatic standoff.
Under intense pressure from Washington, the Venezuelan government was forced to accept a formal U.S. request to resume the deportation flights. This proved America’s leverage over the corrupt regime.
The transportation ministry in Caracas admitted that the U.S. request represented a pragmatic diplomatic move that allowed the repatriation program to continue under negotiated terms. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil confirmed the scale of the effort, noting that 18,354 Venezuelans have arrived in the country on U.S. flights since the beginning of the year.
The flights are an essential tool for the Trump administration to dismantle violent transnational networks. Officials allege the notorious Tren de Aragua gang is operating inside the U.S., involved in drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other crimes.
The administration argues that fast deportation flights end the dangerous “pull factor” that encourages illegal crossings. They show that the United States will not provide an incentive for illegal entry.
While liberal critics cry about due-process rights, Trump supporters confirm the flights are crucial evidence of U.S. leverage. This is how Washington will not tolerate narco-regime aggression.
The return flights are part of a broader pressure campaign on the corrupt Caracas government. Washington is using a combination of diplomacy, immigration enforcement, and military strength to counter a regime it views as destabilizing.