The United States has sent more than 177 deported Venezuelan migrants from the Washington-controlled military base in Guantanamo to Venezuela.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed it transported the Venezuelans to Honduras on Thursday.
Venezuelan authorities took custody of the deportees from Soto Cano – a joint US-Honduras military airbase – before flying them to Caracas on a flag carrier Conviasa flight.
Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello was at the airport when the plane landed, and boarded the aircraft to welcome the arrivals.
President Nicolas Maduro said the handover was the result of a “direct request” from his government to the US and added that his countrymen were “rescued”.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security said among those released were 126 individuals with criminal charges or convictions, out of which 80 were allegedly affiliated with Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organisation. The remaining 51 had no criminal history.
Cabello said in a televised statement that all 177 would undergo health checks before any pending criminal charges would continue in Venezuelan courts.
Source: Aljazeera.com
