(Reuters) – The US government flew 177 Venezuelan migrants from Guantanamo Bay to Honduras yesterday, from where they are set to be transferred on to Venezuela, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a post on X.
Earlier yesterday, the Honduran government said some 170 Venezuelan migrants were set to arrive in the Central American nation from the United States, before being transported “immediately” back to Venezuela.
The Honduran government said the transfer of the migrants would take place at Soto Cano, a joint U.S.-Honduras military air base.
Venezuela requested the repatriation of the citizens who were “unjustly” taken to Guantanamo naval base, Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said in a statement posted on Telegram, adding they would be transported from Honduras by Venezuelan airline Conviasa.
The arrival in Venezuela was expected last evening local time.
Lawyers representing at least half a dozen of the deportees said they learned about the deportations yesterday afternoon.
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security Department spokesperson confirmed that 177 migrants were deported from the Guantanamo Bay detention site on Thursday.
The deportees included 126 people with criminal charges or convictions, the spokesperson said, 80 of whom were allegedly affiliated with Tren de Aragua. The spokesperson said 51 had no criminal record.
The move comes after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit last week seeking access to dozens of migrants flown to a U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying they were being denied the right to an attorney.
