Venezuelan Minister Denies Gang Affiliation of U.S. Deportees

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello denied that deported individuals were members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which the U.S. claims justified their expulsion. The U.S. deported over 200 Venezuelans, citing association with a terrorist organization, despite legal challenges. Families seek information on deportees while new sanctions imposed by Canada add to the diplomatic frictions between Venezuela and the U.S.

On Friday, Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s Interior Minister, asserted that none of the Venezuelans deported by the U.S. to a Salvadoran prison are affiliated with the Tren de Aragua criminal gang. He emphasized, “I believe with absolute responsibility that not a single one appears on the organizational chart of the now-extinct Tren de Aragua organization, not a single one.” Cabello claimed he had names from U.S. media and his sources to support his statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently invoked a wartime law to expedite the deportation of individuals identified as members of the Venezuelan gang, declared a terrorist group by Washington. Despite a judicial ruling that halted this action, over 200 Venezuelans were deported, with 137 sent under this specific wartime law to an El Salvador prison known for anti-terrorism.

Family members and legal representatives are actively seeking information concerning those deported, lamenting their inability to contact relatives. Cabello noted that the Tren de Aragua gang was effectively dismantled in 2023, calling the claim of its existence a falsehood propagated by Venezuela’s political opposition.

He stated, “It is a lie, a massive lie, and we have the means to prove it,” regarding the U.S. refusal to acknowledge the current reality of the gang’s status. The criminal organization, originally operating in Venezuela’s Aragua state, is implicated in offenses including sex trafficking and contract killings; its reach extended to the U.S. amid the Venezuelan migrant crisis.

The Trump administration faces a deadline of March 25 to provide further details on these deportations following a court order requiring the return of deportees to the U.S. Cabello reported that out of 920 migrants returned recently, only 16 are still involved in judicial proceedings in Venezuela.

Amid these tensions, the U.S. government disputed Venezuelan claims about the repatriation process. A Venezuelan lawmaker also accused the U.S. of obstructing direct repatriation flights. Concurrently, Canada announced sanctions against eight senior Venezuelan officials over human rights abuses, which Caracas condemned as “ridiculous” and a means for Canada to align with U.S. policies.

In conclusion, the assertion by Venezuelan authorities that no members of the Tren de Aragua gang were among the recent deportees from the U.S. to El Salvador stands in stark contrast to the rationale provided by Washington. As tensions escalate between Venezuela and the U.S., the situation regarding deportation flights is further complicated by diplomatic disputes, compounded by new sanctions from Canada against Venezuelan officials citing human rights violations. The developments indicate an ongoing clash of narratives and practices between the involved nations.

Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com