Venezuelan group arrives from Florida as total returns since 2025 surpass 20,000

A group of 151 Venezuelan nationals returned to the country on April 20 under the government-run repatriation initiative known as the Great Mission Return to the Homeland.

The flight, identified as number 135 of the program, landed at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state, arriving from Opa Locka, Florida. The passengers included 110 men, 33 women and eight minors, according to official figures.

Upon arrival, the returnees were received by migration and health authorities and underwent individual interviews and case reviews through a designated migration corridor. They later received medical attention from state institutions and were transported to their homes using units coordinated by citizen security agencies.

Text Read: Flight 135 of the Great Mission Return to the Homeland arrived in Maiquetía with 151 repatriated citizens

The operation involved multiple state bodies, including the Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations Corps, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service, the Bolivarian National Guard and the Bolivarian National Police, as part of established reception protocols.

Since the program’s reactivation in February 2025 following migration agreements between Caracas and Washington, more than 20,000 Venezuelans have returned to the country on repatriation flights . During March and April 2026, authorities reported regular arrivals of groups ranging from 140 to 320 people from different locations in the United States.

Created in 2018, the initiative facilitates the voluntary return of Venezuelans who are abroad, particularly those in situations of vulnerability or immigration detention. Officials stated that inter-institutional coordination remains in place to ensure that each reception is carried out under humanitarian and social protection protocols.

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