In a social media post on 20/9, US President Donald Trump demanded that Venezuela immediately accept immigrants he described as "prisoners and mental patients forced upon the US". "Take them out of our country immediately, or the price you will pay will be incalculable," he stated, without specifying the nature of the consequences.
Venezuela has not yet commented on President Trump's warning.
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President Trump speaks to reporters at the airport in Morristown, New Jersey, US, on 14/9. Photo: AP |
President Trump speaks to reporters at the airport in Morristown, New Jersey, US, on 14/9. Photo: AP
A diplomatic source revealed that the repatriation of undocumented Venezuelan immigrants to the US is one of the few areas where the two countries are currently negotiating. On 19/9, a US plane returned 185 Venezuelans to the capital, Caracas, bringing the total number repatriated since Trump returned to the White House to 13,000.
Caracas previously accused the US of "silently waging war" in the Caribbean and called on the United Nations to investigate US attacks on boats suspected of carrying drugs in international waters.
The US military has deployed several warships and fighter jets to the region near Venezuela in recent weeks to enforce anti-drug operations. This move has raised concerns about the possibility of Washington planning military action against Caracas.
The attacks have also sparked debate about their legality, as drug trafficking is not a capital offense under US law. Washington has not provided evidence that the targeted boats were actually carrying drugs.
Thanh Tam (AFP, Reuters, Al Jazeera)
