A two-year-old Venezuelan girl, separated from her deported parents by US authorities, returned to Caracas on Wednesday (May 14) aboard a deportation flight, prompting rare praise from Venezuela’s government for US President Donald Trump.

“Welcome, Maikelys,” said Venezuelan First Lady Cilia Flores, cradling the toddler at the airport. The child, Maikelys Antonella Espinoza Bernal, was among 226 Venezuelan migrants repatriated on the same flight, AFP reported.

Public outcry

Maikelys’ separation from her parents sparked an uproar in Venezuela, where several protests were held in Caracas denouncing what activists described as her “abduction” by US authorities.

Mother-Daughter reunion at Presidential Palace

Although Maikelys’ mother, 20-year-old Yorelys Bernal, wasn’t at the airport, the family was later reunited at the presidential palace, where President Nicolás Maduro personally thanked Trump.

“There have been, and will be, differences with the Trump administration,” Maduro said, “but the return of this toddler is a profoundly humane act of justice.”

Alleged gang ties cited by US

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the child was placed in foster care due to safety concerns, claiming her parents were members of Venezuela’s notorious Tren de Aragua gang.

According to DHS, Maikelys’ father, Maiker Espinoza-Escalona, was a gang “lieutenant” involved in serious crimes including “homicides, drug sales, kidnappings, extortion, sex trafficking, and operating a torture house.” Her mother was accused of recruiting young women for smuggling and prostitution.

Mother denies gang involvement

Bernal, however, denied any wrongdoing. She said she and her husband were detained after voluntarily surrendering to US authorities in May 2024, and were profiled because of their tattoos — a trait often used by law enforcement to link migrants to gang activity.

Transfers to CECOT prison

Venezuela confirmed that Maikelys’ father was among several Venezuelan deportees sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, infamous for its harsh treatment of gang inmates. The transfer, sanctioned by Trump, has stirred condemnation.

Although Washington insists that only confirmed Tren de Aragua members were transferred, legal groups say the US has provided “scant evidence” to justify the move.

Since February, more than 4,000 Venezuelans have been deported, either from the US or from Mexico, where they had gathered hoping to cross the US border.

‘Deeply roubling’ patterns

Human rights groups say the handling of Maikelys’ case reflects a “deeply troubling” trend of separating migrant families and deporting individuals without clear evidence or due process.

As the Trump administration continues to enforce a hardline immigration policy, cases like Maikelys’ are expected to remain flashpoints in a heated debate over border enforcement, human rights, and accountability.