Statement from Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA)

Introduction: VIA is committed to building a more compassionate future for migrants. In that spirit, we firmly reject the recent statements made by Nicolás Maduro’s regime and members of his administration regarding U.S. immigration policy—specifically, the transfer of migrants to El Salvador and the repatriation of Venezuelans.

At Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA), we strongly reject the recent statements made by Nicolás Maduro and members of his regime regarding U.S. immigration policy—specifically, the transfer of migrants to El Salvador and the repatriation of Venezuelan nationals.

While we oppose the deportation of individuals with no criminal background who are simply seeking safety and a better life, we recognize that some of those being repatriated do have criminal records, not only in Venezuela but also in the United States, despite having lived in the country for a very short time.

Many of these individuals were strategically deployed by the Maduro regime to create instability across Latin America and the United States, as investigated and documented by various reputable media outlets such as the BBC, organizations like the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), and international security agencies such as the FBI and Interpol, as well as several regional governments.

We must not lose sight of the root cause of Venezuela’s ongoing migration crisis: the authoritarian regime led by Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. This dictatorship has devastated the country’s economy, dismantled its institutions, persecuted dissenters, and plunged the nation into profound social and political chaos for the past 27 years.

For this reason, we view the regime’s recent claims of “solidarity” with migrants as hollow, inappropriate, and fundamentally hypocritical. It is the Venezuelan government, through persecution, hostility toward its opponents, disappearances, and the imprisonment of civilians and political adversaries—along with multiple other crimes against humanity—that has provoked the most significant exodus of the last century in the Americas. The hardships faced by millions of forcibly displaced Venezuelans arise from a single, undeniable source: the Maduro government itself.

At VIA, we denounce this performative stance as mere propaganda—an attempt to feign compassion while ignoring the true suffering of those who have been forced to flee.

We remain committed to supporting Venezuelan migrants through tangible actions, not empty rhetoric. Our work continues with purpose, grounded in empathy, justice, and the lived realities of those we serve.

Niurka Meléndez &
Héctor Arguinzones
Co-founders / directors
Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid, Inc. (VIA)
April 14, 2025