US deported 177 Venezuelan Migrants from Guantanamo Bay, Sends Them to Honduras

Last updated on February 22nd, 2025 at 09:04 am

The United States has deported 177 Venezuelans from Guantanamo Bay back to Honduras and then on to Venezuela. This is a remarkable step toward establishing a new diplomatic relationship between the two nations. The deportation was upon Venezuela’s direct request to the US and President Nicolas Maduro claimed that his nationals had been rescued.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arranged the transport of the deportees from Guantanamo Bay to Honduras’ Soto Cano military base. They were then taken to Venezuela by Conviasa flight, where Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello received them at Caracas.

Among the 177 deportees, 126 deportees were accused and convicted of crimes. In that 126 deportees, 80 deportees affiliated with the Tren de Aragua criminal organization. The other 51 deportees had no criminal files. All of the deportees will be screened for health before criminal prosecutions are sought in Venezuelan courts.

This deportation comes on the heels of a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) regarding denial of legal representation to Guantanamo detainees. It also marks a change in Venezuela’s repatriation policy, as the US and Venezuela had high-level discussions to make it happen.

This deportation leaves Guantanamo without any migrant detainees, marking the closing of a chapter of the US-Venezuela immigration story.