Venezuela: U.S. deportation flights continue despite airspace closure threat

U.S.-operated flights returning deported migrants to Venezuela will continue despite President Donald Trump threat that the airspace of the South American country should be considered closed.

The government of President Nicolas Maduro announced Tuesday that the twice-weekly flights will go on following a request from the Trump administration. That reverses a Venezuelan government announcement Saturday that indicated that U.S. immigration authorities had unilaterally suspended the flights.

An overflight and landing application submitted Monday by U.S.-based Eastern Airlines requests permission for an arrival Wednesday. The application was made public Tuesday by Venezuela’s foreign affairs minister.

Venezuelans have been steadily deported to their home country this year after Maduro, under pressure from Trump, did away with his long-standing policy of not accepting deportees from the U.S.

Immigrants arrive regularly at the airport outside the capital, Caracas, on flights operated by a U.S. government contractor or Venezuela’s state-owned airline. More than 13,000 immigrants have returned so far this year on the chartered flights