US Deportation Flight 164 Landed in Venezuela Hours Before Major Earthquakes

Families in Venezuela are desperately searching for relatives who arrived on a US deportation flight just hours before a series of powerful earthquakes struck the region. Flight 164, carrying an undisclosed number of deportees, landed in Venezuela shortly before the seismic events, leaving family members with limited information on their whereabouts.

The United States resumed direct deportation flights to Venezuela in October 2023, following a bilateral arrangement brokered through Mexico. This policy shift occurred despite the US government's continued refusal to formally recognise the Nicolás Maduro administration, instead supporting opposition figures.

Critics argue that these deportations, framed by Washington as a measure to manage migration flows at its southern border, expose vulnerable individuals to significant risks. Venezuela continues to grapple with severe economic and social instability, exacerbated by extensive Western sanctions, which have driven millions to seek refuge abroad.

Humanitarian organisations have repeatedly highlighted the precarious conditions faced by deportees, who often return to a country with crumbling infrastructure, limited public services, and pervasive insecurity. The recent earthquakes compound these challenges, making the immediate location and welfare of those newly deported a critical concern for their families.