The United States resumed aerial deportations to Venezuela on Monday with the arrival of flight 165 from the government program known as the Great Homeland Return Mission. This marked the first such flight since the devastating earthquakes on June 24.
The plane, originating from Miami, Florida, landed at General José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport in Barcelona, the capital of the namesake state in eastern Venezuela.
Venezuela's main airport, Simón Bolívar in Maiquetía, has been closed since June 24 due to severe structural damage caused by the earthquakes.
The flight carried 147 Venezuelans, consisting of 132 men and 15 women. The Venezuelan government program described the arrival as a "joyful reunion in our nation," adhering to "all necessary protocols."
This marked the 165th flight since Caracas and Washington signed a bilateral migration agreement in early 2025, which enabled the resumption of direct deportations to Venezuela.
Since the agreement, flights have operated two to three times weekly, and by November 2025, the program had repatriated over 20,200 migrants.
The previous flight, number 164, arrived from Miami on June 24 with 146 Venezuelans, including seven children, at Simón Bolívar Airport just hours before the dual earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck the northern region of the country.
That group was trapped in the Hotel Santuario La Llanada, which collapsed following the earthquakes, marking one of the most tragic episodes of the disaster.
The earthquakes resulted in at least 6,125 deaths, according to official figures, in addition to more than 16,000 injured and tens of thousands of buildings damaged or destroyed.
The plight of the 147 Venezuelans who arrived in La Guaira just before the earthquakes sparked international debate about deportations during emergencies and highlighted the situation of Venezuelan migrants in the United States.
The resumption of flights between Miami and Maracaibo by American Airlines in July 2026 was one of the private sector's responses to the closure of Simón Bolívar due to the June earthquakes.
Key Questions on U.S. Deportations to Venezuela
Why did the United States resume deportations to Venezuela?
The deportations resumed following the signing of a bilateral migration agreement between Caracas and Washington in early 2025, allowing for direct deportations to Venezuela.
What impact did the June 24 earthquakes have on Venezuelan airports?
The earthquakes caused severe structural damage, leading to the closure of the main airport, Simón Bolívar in Maiquetía, and affecting travel operations significantly.
How many Venezuelans have been repatriated under the current program?
By November 2025, over 20,200 Venezuelan migrants had been repatriated under the bilateral agreement between the United States and Venezuela.