What Happened to the 90 Venezuelan Migrants Repatriated from the US?

Caracas, May 22 (NationPress) - A new group of 90 Venezuelan migrants who were deported from the US has returned to the capital, Caracas, as reported by the Interior Ministry.

The group, which includes 77 men, six women, and seven children, arrived on a flight from Texas at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, the main airport serving Caracas, according to the Xinhua news agency.

The Ministry confirmed that various Venezuelan governmental bodies are ensuring that all necessary health and legal protocols are in place for the migrants' safe arrival.

Upon their return, the migrants were welcomed by officials from several agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the National Children's Institute, the Bolivarian National Police, and intelligence services.

Since February, the frequency of repatriation flights from the US has notably increased.

As per Venezuelan authorities, over 4,000 migrants have been repatriated from the US and Mexico since the start of this year.

A particularly emotional case involved a two-year-old girl, Maikelys Antonella Espinoza Bernal, who was separated from her mother during a deportation incident that officials have termed a 'kidnapping'.

She returned to Venezuela on a US-registered flight alongside 226 other Venezuelan migrants, which included seven minors and 37 women.

First Lady Cilia Flores expressed gratitude for the public's support for the young girl, emphasizing the government's commitment to her safe return.

While the girl's mother, Yorelys Bernal, who was deported in April, was not present at the airport, it was stated that a reunion would happen soon.

The separation of Maikelys from her family triggered widespread protests in Caracas, with many calling attention to her 'abduction' by US authorities.

President Nicolas Maduro surprisingly thanked his US counterpart, Donald Trump, for the child's return, acknowledging the differences between their administrations but labeling the return a 'humane act of justice'.

This case is one of many involving children amid the strict immigration policies enforced by the Trump administration.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) previously claimed that the girl was placed in foster care for her protection, alleging that her parents were linked to criminal activities.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called the girl's return a 'great victory', insisting she should never have been separated from her family and urging the US to acknowledge its errors.

Since February, repatriation efforts have escalated, with many Venezuelans being returned from both the US and Mexico, where they had hoped to enter the US.