Caracas: A Venezuelan toddler who remained in the United States after her parents were deported over a year ago has finally returned home, prompting President Nicolas Maduro to publicly thank former U.S. President Donald Trump for her repatriation.
Two-year-old Maikelys Espinoza Bernal was reunited with her mother, Yorely Bernal, on Wednesday in Caracas after arriving on a deportation flight carrying other migrants. Her return comes after months of appeals from Venezuelan officials, who had urged U.S. authorities to reunite the child with her family.
State television broadcast footage of First Lady Cilia Flores greeting the girl at the Simón Bolívar International Airport. Later, Maikelys was brought to the presidential palace, where she met with her mother and maternal grandmother in the presence of Maduro.
“We must be thankful for all the efforts, for (Trump special envoy) Rich Grenell for his efforts… and thank Donald Trump too,” Maduro stated. He described the toddler’s return as “an act of justice.”
The family’s journey through the U.S. immigration system took a complicated and politically charged turn. Maikelys’ father, 25-year-old Maiker Espinoza, was deported to El Salvador in March and imprisoned in the controversial CECOT maximum security facility. His transfer was executed under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used law revived by the Trump administration, which has deported at least 137 Venezuelans under its provisions.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Espinoza of being a lieutenant in Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal gang. DHS alleged he was involved in a range of serious crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and operating a torture facility—though no evidence has been publicly released. Espinoza’s family strongly refutes the claims.
“At no time has my son been involved with them,” his mother, Maria Escalona, told Reuters. “I think this is political—they are using the case of my son to cover up the horror that is being committed against all these innocents.”
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DHS has also accused Maikelys’ mother of recruiting women into drug smuggling and sex work operations. Her family has similarly rejected the allegations, and no supporting documentation has been presented.
The couple met in Peru while living as migrants, according to Escalona. Their daughter was born there before they attempted to seek asylum in the United States, turning themselves in at the border. They were held in U.S. immigration detention throughout their stay. Since May 2024, the toddler had been in the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Possible Diplomatic Negotiation Behind the Scenes?
U.S. authorities have not issued public statements regarding the decision to send the child back to Venezuela. Some political analysts suggest her return may be linked to a separate, quiet diplomatic agreement.
Last week, five members of Venezuela’s opposition, along with the elderly mother of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, departed the country after residing in the Argentine diplomatic residence. The coordinated exit surprised observers and sparked speculation in both Washington and Caracas.
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While the U.S. and opposition members portrayed the event as a successful extraction, the Venezuelan government claimed the departure was part of a negotiated agreement—though it has not disclosed any details regarding the deal or its possible connection to the toddler’s return.
Many families of Venezuelan men deported to CECOT continue to maintain their loved ones have no affiliation with Tren de Aragua. Human rights groups report that dozens of the men were actively pursuing asylum claims when they were removed.
