The first maritime Plan Vuelta a la Patria repatriated this Sunday morning more than 700 Venezuelans from Trinidad and Tobago, in an unprecedented day described as the largest repatriation in history in Venezuela.
For the transfer, the Paraguaná I ferry was enabled, which set sail from Port of Spain in the afternoon of this Saturday towards the International Port of Guanta, in Anzoátegui.
The nationals, originally from 18 states of the country, including Amazonas, Barinas, Bolívar, Monagas, Miranda, Zulia and the Capital District, complied with all biosafety protocols throughout the day to avoid COVID-19 infections.
The Head of the Immigration Office, Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews; the Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds; the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Caricom, Amery Browne, and the Venezuelan ambassador accredited to the Caribbean nation, Carlos Pérez where present.
Plan Vuelta a la Patria hace posible el reencuentro familiar de 207 venezolanos provenientes de Chile
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago and Caricom, Amery Browne, stressed that the excellent relations between the two countries, as well as the joint work, facilitated the formalities and avoided setbacks.
For his part, the Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds, expressed the interest of the Trinidadian Government to regularize the situation of Venezuelan migrants residing in the country, so that they can opt for decent work and have access to basic services.
A delegation sent by the Venezuelan Government, composed of doctors, officials from the National Anti-Drug Command, the People’s Guard, the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) and firefighters also participated in the operation.
Since its activation in 2018, the Plan Vuelta a la Patria has repatriated more than 25 thousand Venezuelans by air and land and now by sea, being the humanitarian bridge with the greatest reach in the world.