Venezuela is at risk of facing severe and escalating sanctions if it continues to resist accepting its citizens repatriated from the U.S., warned Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday.
This warning coincides with the Trump administration’s push to increase the deportation of undocumented migrants in the U.S. and the termination of a temporary residency program for approximately 350,000 Venezuelan refugees who escaped the economic crisis and autocratic governance under President Nicolas Maduro.
The Sanctions Ultimatum
Rubio stated, “Unless the Maduro regime agrees to a consistent schedule of deportation flights without excuses or delays, the U.S. will enforce new, harsh sanctions.”
This ultimatum raised immediate concerns, especially after Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, announced on X that the Maduro government had consented to accept repatriation flights.
Despite this announcement, neither the White House, Grenell, nor the State Department provided clarifications upon request.
Escalating Tensions
Grenell’s interaction with Maduro in Caracas resulted in the release of six U.S. citizens after discussions on Venezuela’s reluctance to repatriate its nationals.
Subsequently, President Trump decided to revoke Biden administration policies aimed at fostering democratic processes in Venezuela and to cancel Chevron’s authorization to extract and export oil from the country.
Maduro retaliated, asserting that the U.S. had disrupted communication channels and declared a halt to repatriation flights. He expressed disappointment, stating, “The U.S. obstructed our efforts to repatriate all imprisoned Venezuelans.”
Unconventional Measures
In response to Venezuela’s refusal, the Trump administration transported around 250 individuals claimed to be Venezuelan gang members to a high-security prison in El Salvador, defying a judicial injunction temporarily halting deportations.
Rubio acknowledged El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele on Fox News, highlighting the cost-effectiveness of housing these individuals in El Salvador compared to the U.S. prison system.
The situation remains tense as diplomatic relations strain over repatriation issues amidst broader political discord.
