FLIGHT

PLACE OF BIRTH IS NOT A CHOICE

For decades Venezuelans have faced severe shortages of food, medicine, and electricity, disease, as well as hyperinflation, and high crime. Since 2021 about 8 million Venezuelans have fled the country, primarily to Columbia and Latin America, but also to the U.S. At first, the U.S. granted Venezuelans Temporary Protected Status, but revoked TPS in 2025.

Now, instead of protection, Venezuelan migrants face deportation. Trump used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, to deport hundreds of Venezuelans. The White House invoked this Act to deport Venezuelans and others to authoritarian states, despite Judge Boasberg’s order to cease deportation. Trump claimed that Venezuela and the U.S. were at war because the Tren de Aragua gang of Venezuela was invading the U.S. However, there is no specific evidence linking the deported individuals to the gang. In fact, the deportations were part of a 6-million-dollar deal between the Trump administration and El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, who accepted deportees into their Terrorism Confinement Center mega prison. More deportation flights ensued sending Venezuelan migrants back to their homeland.

The U.S. has been escalating military pressure against Venezuela, officially as a fight against drug trafficking by Maduro. However, drug-related claims served as a pretext for removing Maduro. On January 5, 2026. Trump captured Maduro, brought him to NYC for trial, and asserted that the U.S. is now in charge of Venezuela.

Venezuelan’s oil reserves are estimated to be the largest in the world. The U.S. had been Venezuela’s top crude oil buyer. Now, China is. Trump seeks investment in Venezuela’s oil by Exxon Mobil, Chevron and other oil companies.