US deported Venezuelans through third country despite risks

The Trump administration stealthily deported an unknown number of Venezuelans through a third country, possibly violating U.S. laws and undermining U.S. warnings about the socialist government’s human rights record

MEDELLIN, Colombia — The Trump administration stealthily deported an unknown number of Venezuelans through a third country, possibly violating U.S. laws and undermining U.S. warnings about the socialist government’s human rights record, according to the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sen. Bob Menendez said Friday that the State Department in recent weeks had confirmed to his office that the deportations occurred via Trinidad and Tobago between January and March 2020.

It’s not clear how many indirect deportations to Venezuela took place. But Menendez said they would appear to violate a U.S….