Venezuelan 'Return to Homeland' plan sees deportees land amid U.S.–Venezuela deportation deal: Video
A group of Venezuelan nationals deported by the United States landed at Maiquetía’s Simón Bolívar International Airport this week under Venezuela’s Plan Vuelta a la Patria or Return to Homeland Plan.
The flight, part of a broader repatriation programme agreed between Caracas and Washington in late 2025, brought nearly 200 people back from the U.S. after a temporary pause in deportation flights. These operations mark a rare area of cooperation between two governments whose relations have been strained for years.
The Return to Homeland Plan was initially established by Venezuelan authorities as a mechanism to assist citizens abroad, particularly those facing legal or humanitarian challenges, to return and reintegrate. The programme has seen multiple flights in recent years, with thousands of Venezuelans voluntarily or involuntarily returned home as part of state-facilitated repatriation efforts. Venezuelan officials frame the plan as a dignified response to the hardships many nationals have endured overseas, while coordinating with foreign counterparts on deportation logistics.
Internationally, the resumption of these flights reflects broader trends in migration policy and bilateral negotiations. The U.S. has increased deportations of Venezuelan migrants amid shifts in immigration enforcement, while Venezuela’s acceptance of returnees operates within its own political and social strategy for addressing the Venezuelan diaspora. As these movements continue, the Return to Homeland Plan remains a focal point for debate over human rights, migration governance and the responsibilities of sending and receiving states.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
