The US deported more than 170 Venezuelan immigrants from Guantanamo Bay Navy Base to Honduras on Thursday ahead of their expected transfer to Venezuela.
Denner flew from Guantanamo to Comayagua city in Honduras and will now be sent to Venezuela on a special flight by Combiazá, a state-owned Venezuelan airline, sources told CNN. It is the first deported flight from Guantanamo Bay since the Trump administration began relocating immigrants from the United States.
The US immigration and customs enforcement agency confirmed that “177 Venezuelan illegal aliens have been transported from Guantanamo Bay to Honduras today for pick-up by the Venezuelan government.”
The Department of Homeland Security claims that Venezuelan immigrants sent to Guantanamo Bay have connections with the Tren de Aragua gang.
Earlier on Thursday, Honduras said it had promoted the relocation of up to 170 Venezuelan immigrants from the US to Venezuela, but did not confirm that the group was traveling from Guantanamo.
“The Venezuelan government has requested a transfer. It’s a flight to Combiasa and they’re paying for this,” one source told CNN.
Like some state-owned Venezuelan companies, Combiasa is currently under sanctions from the US Treasury Department.
In a statement, the Venezuelan government has called for the repatriation of Venezuelan citizens “unfairly taken to Guantanamo Naval Base,” and told Honduras President Xiomara Castro, “the cooperation provided in rescue of these fellows.” I was grateful for this.
The Venezuelan government said if it was found that any of the repatriates committed a crime, “competent authorities will act in accordance with the laws of the Republic and in accordance with strict human rights protections.”
Flight tracking records show a Venezuelan Combisa aircraft that landed in Comayagua, Honduras on Thursday. Less than an hour later, two GlobalX aircraft from Guantanamo Bay arrived at the same airfield.
Deporting allegedly returning Tren de Aragua members to Venezuela in January debate with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, his first famous visit to Venezuela, debating Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro It was one of the problems that I had.
