Protests Emerge as Venezuelans Decry U.S. Deportations to El Salvador

Families of Venezuelan migrants express outrage over U.S. deportations to El Salvador, believing they were misled. Legal challenges are ongoing in Washington as the Venezuelan government claims these individuals were wrongfully detained. Emotional pleas from families reflect a desperate call for the return of the deportees.

On March 22, 2023, family members of Venezuelan migrants protested against U.S. deportations to El Salvador, claiming they were misled into believing their loved ones were being repatriated to Venezuela. Over 200 individuals were forcibly relocated to a maximum security prison in El Salvador on March 16 by the U.S. government, which cited wartime powers to remove alleged gang members.

The deportation of these migrants has provoked a significant legal challenge in Washington, where attempts to halt the flights were made by a judge. In Venezuela, the incident has ignited outrage, particularly among the families of those deported who insist that many were not criminals and were coerced into surrendering.

Venezuelan families expressed distress over the situation, with Gladys Coromoto Rojas questioning the circumstances surrounding the deportees: “How come so many people said they were coming to Venezuela and today they are in El Salvador?” Her sentiments reflect a broader sentiment of confusion and anger regarding the deportations.

One family, whose member, Maikel Rojas Olivera, had informed them he was returning home on March 22, was aghast to learn he was actually sent to El Salvador instead. His sister fervently stated, “We demand that they bring all those innocent boys from El Salvador to their country.”

In response to these developments, the Venezuelan government has criticized the actions of the U.S. as a form of kidnapping and has engaged a law firm to facilitate the return of the deported migrants to their homeland.

The protest highlights the distress experienced by families of Venezuelan migrants deceived into believing they would return home, only to face deportation to El Salvador. This situation raises critical questions about the treatment of migrants and the responsibilities of governments in such matters, as families demand justice and solutions for their loved ones trapped abroad.

Original Source: www.hurriyetdailynews.com