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First Venezuelans Sent Back Under New U.S. Policy Arrive in Caracas
The deportation of migrants who had entered the U.S. illegally came as the Biden administration lifted some sanctions against Venezuela.
Eileen Sullivan and
The United States, marking an end to a four-year suspension of returning Venezuelan migrants home, sent its first deportation flight to Caracas on Wednesday, with 127 people on board.
Later in the day, the Biden administration announced it would lift some of the sanctions on Venezuela in the oil and gas sectors.
The deportation flight from Harlingen, Texas, and the limited sanctions relief came a day after the administration of President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela and the opposition announced in Barbados that they had made tentative steps toward free and fair elections.
A senior U.S. administration official said easing some of the sanctions was a result of the partial agreement signed on Tuesday. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity during a phone call with reporters on Wednesday evening.
It is unclear if the Biden’s administration’s promise of sanctions relief also included Mr. Maduro agreeing to accept Venezuelans deported back to his country.
Another deportation flight is scheduled to leave on Saturday, according to a U.S. official familiar with the strategy who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans.
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