Rubio threatens Venezuela with sanctions if it doesn't accept migrants expelled from US
Marco Rubio (photo: Getty Images)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned Venezuela about harsh sanctions. Specifically, Washington will take such measures if the country refuses to accept migrants deported from the US, according to CNN.
"Venezuela is obligated to accept its repatriated citizens from the U.S. This is not an issue for debate or negotiation. Nor does it merit any reward. Unless the Maduro regime accepts a consistent flow of deportation flights, without further excuses or delays, the U.S. will impose new, severe, and escalating sanctions," Rubio wrote on social media X.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump's Special Representative for Special Assignments Richard Grenell stated on the same platform that Venezuela has agreed to resume flights to pick up their citizens who broke US Immigration Laws and entered the US illegally.
Earlier, in January, Grenell met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas to discuss deportation flights. This meeting took place after Maduro refused to accept his citizens back. Additionally, the meeting resulted in the release of six Americans detained in Venezuela.
CNN notes that the new threat from Rubio comes amid Trump's efforts to use his broad wartime powers to quickly deport some migrants, whom the US accuses of ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. However, a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportations to assess the consequences of applying this law.
For more details on Venezuela's refusal to accept its citizens in January 2025, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
