By Ricardo Vaz on March 9, 2025 from Caracas
Venezuela will reportedly cease cooperation with the US on the repatriation of migrants. (Presidential Press)
The Venezuelan government will not accept more deportation flights from the US following a recent escalation of coercive measures against the Caribbean country.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Nicolás Maduro government has “privately warned” the Trump administration that it will not coordinate new repatriations after the US Treasury Department withdrew a license allowing Chevron to operate in Venezuela.
Caracas has not publicly commented on the issue, with the Journal citing people familiar with the matter.
Venezuela has received three groups of returned nationals following a high-profile meeting with White House Special Envoy Richard Grenell. The flights brought back nationals from Texas, Guantánamo (via Honduras) and Mexico. On the latter, Venezuelan authorities did not clarify if the Venezuelan families had been deported from the US to Mexico or if they had not managed to cross the border.
The Trump administration has prioritized a migrant crackdown in its first weeks in office, particularly targeting Venezuelans. The Department of Homeland Security rescinded Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Venezuelan migrants, leaving as many as 600,000 at potential risk of deportation.
Venezuela’s reported reluctance to maintain engagement with the US on deportations follows Washington’s recent removal of General License 41 (GL41) which allowed Chevron to run crude extraction and export operations in its Venezuela joining ventures.
Instead, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License 41A (GL41A) establishing a 30-day period for the oil giant to wind down its activities in the South American nation.
The move, first announced by Trump on February 27, contrasted with the White House’s early policy of engagement with Caracas. According to reports, the administration hardened its economic pressure against Venezuela as a concession to foreign policy hardliners ahead of a crucial budget vote.
Florida Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar provided crucial votes for the narrowly approved budget. Though they also opposed the cancellation of TPS, which affected their constituencies, the Cuban-descent politicians focused their lobbying efforts on tighter sanctions against Venezuela.
The removal of General License 41 undid the Biden administration’s only significant departure from the “maximum pressure” sanctions policy put in place during Trump’s first term. The Biden White House issued General License 44 in October 2023, allowing Venezuela to export crude without levying heavy discounts or resorting to unreliable intermediaries. However, widespread restrictions were re-introduced after six months.
Washington has targeted Venezuela’s all-important oil sector in recent years in an effort to strangle the country’s main revenue source. US Treasury coercive measures have included financial sanctions, an export embargo and secondary sanctions.
Chevron holds minority stakes in four joint projects that currently pump an estimated 200,000 barrels per day (bpd), just under a quarter of the industry’s total output. Analysts have predicted that its impending exit will hurt the Venezuelan government’s social spending ability and potentially trigger higher inflation.
After forcing Chevron out of Venezuela, US officials have reportedly granted similar 30-day wind-down periods to French corporation Maurel & Prom and the US’ Global Oil Terminals. The latter conglomerate, owned by magnate Harry Sargeant III, had secured a significant asphalt import deal until 2026.
European companies Eni (Italy) and Repsol (Spain), which have likewise increased their activities in Venezuela in recent years following US Treasury approval, are expected to be driven out in the coming weeks as well. Indian refining giant Reliance Industries received a green light to import Venezuelan crude, but it is unclear if the arrangement was open-ended or had an expiration date.
Venezuela’s dealings with international partners also allowed state oil company PDVSA to access highly needed diluents and light crude required to produce export blends and produce fuel. The recent sanctions ramp-up could additionally lead to gasoline and diesel shortages.
For its part, the Maduro government criticized the Chevron sanctions waiver withdrawal as “damaging and inexplicable” and accused its US counterpart of bowing to pressure from Venezuela’s hardline opposition.
Venezuelan authorities went on to activate an “Absolute Productive Independence” plan to ensure the stability of the energy sector. Maduro vowed that the oil sector would maintain its upward trend despite the tightening of coercive measures.
Source: Venezuela Analysis