:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/DKFAH47HN5BWPCEPSKO5CYEUWA.jpg "Pedro Naranjo | The Venezuelan military asylum seeker who was deported by the US and is now in prison in Venezuela | WORLD")
Migrant from Venezuela returned to prison in his home country after being deported by the US
Lieutenant Pedro Naranjo, a helicopter pilot in the Venezuelan National Guard, was facing imprisonment in his home country alongside his father, General Pedro José Naranjo Suárez, on charges of insurrection. The two managed to escape Venezuela and reach the United States in 2022. However, their happiness was short-lived as Pedro Naranjo has been deported back to Venezuela by the Biden administration.
The Naranjos were accused of plotting to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro and disrupt the 2018 elections in what the Chavista regime called Operation Armageddon. While both men have consistently denied being involved in the plot, General Naranjo was arrested, court-martialed, and then hospitalized after suffering a stroke in prison in 2021. Under international pressure, he was allowed to go under house arrest, but as this measure was revoked, he decided to escape the country with his son.
Their journey to the US involved crossing the border with Colombia and then walking through the dangerous Darién jungle. In October 2023, they surrendered to the Border Patrol after crossing the Rio Grande near Brownsville, Texas. The general was released, while his son was sent to a detention center in Louisiana. Sadly, Pedro Naranjo was deported back to Venezuela on December 14 and is now being held in a military prison.
The case has sparked outrage and concern among Venezuelan-American activist groups and opposition members. There are claims that Pedro Naranjo Jr. qualified for asylum due to “credible fear” for his life, and activists argue that returning him to Venezuela goes against US foreign policy objectives related to Maduro’s regime.
The situation has also put a spotlight on the US policy towards Venezuela, particularly in relation to the easing of sanctions in exchange for political reforms and the release of political prisoners. The Naranjo case has led to criticism of the Biden administration’s approach to Venezuela, especially as the administration freed a close ally of Maduro, Álex Saab, who was detained on money laundering charges.
The fate of Pedro Naranjo remains uncertain as he languishes in a Venezuelan prison after being deported from the US. Meanwhile, the story of his escape and return to Venezuela has raised questions about the treatment of Venezuelan migrants and the political dynamics between the US and Venezuela.