Maduro Regime Accuses Trump Admin of 'Kidnapping' 78 Venezuelan Children: 'They Were Ripped From Their Parents' Hands'

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello accused the Trump administration on Wednesday of "kidnapping" 78 Venezuelan children who remain in U.S. custody after their parents were deported, calling the alleged separation a "crime against humanity."

"They were kidnapped in the United States by the U.S. government; they were ripped from their parents' hands," Cabello said during his weekly program on state television. According to the minister, 47 girls and 31 boys are still in the U.S. despite their families being sent back to Venezuela on deportation flights.

Cabello showed what he described as photographs of Venezuelan minors held in U.S. "immigrant detention centers," claiming they were separated as part of recent deportation operations.

The remarks come amid rising tensions between Caracas and Washington, which reestablished limited cooperation on deportation flights earlier this year despite having no formal diplomatic relations since 2019. Venezuela and the United States signed a repatriation agreement in January, under which more than 12,000 Venezuelans have been deported in 74 flights, according to official figures from Caracas.

On Wednesday, a new flight arrived from El Paso, Texas, carrying 197 Venezuelans, including four children.

Cabello framed the alleged detentions of minors as evidence of "hypocrisy" in U.S. migration policy, accusing Washington of promoting the "American dream" while "ripping families apart." He said Venezuelans who migrated "seeking new opportunities" had been misled by "media campaigns" that encouraged them to leave the country.

In September, Venezuelan officials reported the return of four children who they said were "being held" in the U.S. and thanked former First Lady Melania Trump for "making their return possible," as EFE reports. Camilla Fabri, head of the government's repatriation program Gran Misión Vuelta a la Patria, however, criticized the U.S. for sending "only four children when nine were expected," urging Mrs. Trump to "continue interceding for the return of all."