The U.S. government has flown 177 Venezuelan migrants from Guantanamo Bay to Honduras on Thursday, from where they are set to be transferred back to Venezuela, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security.
Earlier on Thursday, the Honduran government announced that approximately 170 Venezuelan migrants were arriving in the Central American nation from the United States, before being transported immediately back to Venezuela.
The transfer of migrants is set to take place at Soto Cano, a joint U.S.-Honduras military air base, as confirmed by the Honduran government.
Venezuela has requested the repatriation of its citizens, claiming they were unjustly taken to Guantanamo naval base. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil stated in a Telegram post that they would be flown back to Venezuela by the Venezuelan airline Conviasa.
The arrival in Venezuela is expected on Thursday evening local time.
Lawyers representing at least a half dozen of the deportees reported learning about the deportations on Thursday afternoon.
This wave of deportations follows a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union last week, which sought access to dozens of migrants flown to the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, arguing they were being denied the right to legal representation.
The deportees included 126 individuals with criminal charges or convictions, 80 of whom were allegedly linked to Tren de Aragua, according to a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security, who added that 51 of the deportees had no criminal record.
As of Thursday’s deportations, there are no migrant detainees remaining at Guantanamo, the spokesperson confirmed.
The U.S. government has designated Tren de Aragua as a global terrorist organization along with other organized crime groups, as President Donald Trump intensifies immigration enforcement against alleged gang members in the United States.
