The Venezuelan government has publicly accused the United States of kidnapping its citizens and violating international law through a series of controversial deportations, detentions, and extraditions targeting Venezuelan nationals. The most high-profile recent incident involves the separation of a two-year-old girl from her deported parents, who now remain in Venezuela while their daughter is held in foster care in the U.S.

Yorely Bernal and Maiker Espinoza were deported from the United States after being accused of ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, despite a lack of evidence. Their daughter, Maikelys Antonella Espinoza Bernal, remains in U.S. custody, separated from her family. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the act as criminal, accusing the U.S. of violating both human rights and the rights of the child.

The Venezuelan government has also criticized the recent deportation of more than 200 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador. According to Venezuelan officials, including top lawmaker Diosdado Cabello, many of those deported were wrongfully accused of gang affiliations and denied any form of due process.

This is not the first time Venezuela has accused the United States of kidnapping. In a separate and ongoing case, Caracas has denounced the 2021 extradition of Colombian businessman and Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab from Cape Verde to Miami. Saab was a key figure in Venezuelan international transactions, and his capture and transfer were framed by President Maduro as a diplomatic kidnapping.

Together, these cases have fueled Venezuela’s assertion that the United States is weaponizing immigration law and international cooperation agreements to target its citizens politically. The government has called on international bodies to intervene, stating that these actions represent clear breaches of sovereignty and humanitarian law.

As diplomatic relations between the two countries remain frozen, the pattern of U.S. actions toward Venezuelans is drawing increased international scrutiny.