Venezuela agrees to again accept US deportation flights

CARACAS — Venezuela announced Saturday it had reached an agreement with Washington to accept additional deportation flights from the United States, one week after more than 200 Venezuelans accused of being gang members were sent to El Salvador.

The flights were suspended last month when US President Donald Trump claimed Venezuela had not lived up to its promises, and Caracas subsequently said it would no longer accept the flights.

But then Washington deported 238 Venezuelans accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang, which Trump has designated a foreign terrorist organisation, to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, a move deeply criticized by Caracas.

"In order to ensure the return of our countrymen with the protection of their human rights, we have agreed with the US government to resume the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants with a first flight tomorrow," Venezuelan top negotiator Jorge Rodriguez said in a statement.

"Migrating is not a crime, and we will not rest until all those who want to return are home, and until we rescue our brothers kidnapped in El Salvador," said Rodriguez, who is also the president of Venezuela's National Assembly.

Sunday's trip will be the fifth flight of migrants arriving in Venezuela since Trump took office in January. Since February, about 900 Venezuelans have been repatriated, most from the United States and some from Mexico.

"Tomorrow, thanks to the perseverance and persistence of our government, we will resume flights to continue rescuing and releasing migrants from US prisons," Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Saturday.

"We will rescue a group of young men tomorrow, and next week, and the week after that."