Maduro to receive Venezuela deportees jailed in El Salvador

Bloomberg News on Jul 18, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Venezuela is set to receive a group of deportees freed from jail in El Salvador following an unexpected breakthrough in ongoing talks with the U.S.

Roughly 250 Venezuelans, previously deported by the U.S. to El Salvador in March, are set to arrive in Caracas Friday, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified to avoid reprisals.

Their return had been a long-standing demand of President Nicolás Maduro and his top officials. Nayib Bukele’s government had publicly stated it had no legal jurisdiction over the deported Venezuelans, effectively paving the way for Venezuelan and U.S. officials to seal the deal.

Press officials for Venezuela’s Information Ministry declined to comment on the release but summoned journalists to the airport early on Friday. Press officials for El Salvador and the U.S. State Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. has deported about 8,000 Venezuelans through direct repatriation flights this year. It also secured the release of seven Americans prisoner through swaps negotiated by Trump’s special envoy Ric Grenell. It remains unclear what, if anything, is Maduro giving in exchange.

Venezuela currently holds about 950 political prisoners, out of which more than 80 have foreign nationality, according to Caracas-based human rights group Foro Penal. Maduro and Venezuelan government officials have consistently demanded the return of more than two dozen children who remain in U.S. custody after their parents were deported.