Venezuela Roundup: Deported Venezuelans, aircraft smuggling, human rights violation

Deported Venezuelans

Venezuela has expressed its determination to ensure the release of hundreds of its citizens who were deported by the U.S. to a notorious prison in El Salvador. According to National Assembly leader Jorge Rodríguez, the deportees, numbering 238, were accused of connections to the Tren de Aragua gang, facing potentially harsh conditions in El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center. This recent development complicates negotiations between Venezuela and the U.S. regarding sanctions relief and the continuation of Chevron's operations in the country.

Aircraft smuggling

The U.S. Justice Department has initiated a civil forfeiture complaint against a Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, alleging its smuggling from the U.S. and its use to support Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which violates established sanctions. This aircraft was seized in the Dominican Republic last year, and Maduro's government has labelled the seizure and sanctions as acts of blatant theft and illegality.

Deportations of Venezuelans

A federal judge has mandated the Trump administration to disclose information regarding the deportations of Venezuelans, despite a court order that halted the flights. The administration alleges that the deportees are associated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Despite the judge's order to cease deportations, flights by the administration continued, resulting in the deportation of 261 individuals. The administration maintains that it has the legal authority to move ahead with deportations once the flights are outside U.S. airspace, while the judge has pressed for clarity on specific timelines and legal standings during court proceedings.

Chevron licence

Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, has devised strategies to sustain oil production post-Chevron's licence expiration in April. The plans include producing between 105,000 to 138,000 barrels per day of Hamaca heavy crude at the Petropiar project, aiming to balance output between local refineries and non-U.S. export markets. Furthermore, PDVSA intends to process byproducts of vacuum gasoil for domestic gasoline production and increase the recycling effort of imported naphtha to mitigate technical challenges. Analysts speculate that the total oil output in Venezuela could decrease from 900,000 to 700,000 barrels per day in the absence of Chevron, which currently contributes an estimated $200 million monthly to the national economy.

Human rights violation

During the UN Human Rights Council session, independent experts underscored severe human rights violations occurring in Iran, Syria, and Venezuela. In Iran, findings from the Fact-Finding Mission pointed to violent repression following Mahsa Amini's death in 2022, highlighting allegations of torture and mistreatment directed towards children and protesters, with a noticeable absence of trust in the judicial system and a rallying call for accountability measures off the national stage. In Venezuela, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission relayed ongoing political repression and arbitrary detentions, particularly in the context of the contentious 2024 presidential election, expressing grave concerns regarding electoral integrity and significant rights violations amid protests, including detainee deaths linked to torture — findings which the Venezuelan government dismissed as politically driven.