Opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, recognized as the U.S.-appointed President-elect of Venezuela, promised reparations to the family of Laken Riley and other Americans affected by the crimes of the Tren de Aragua street gang. Alongside fellow opposition leader María Corina Machado, Gonzalez expressed condolences for Riley’s tragic murder at the hands of a Venezuelan national, blaming Nicolás Maduro’s regime for creating an environment where criminal organizations thrive with impunity. Urrutia vowed to hold those responsible for the devastation in Venezuela and internationally accountable if officially installed as president.
The Biden administration had initially referred to Urrutia as the “president-elect” before leaving office. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Urrutia’s legitimacy as the Venezuelan president during a conversation with him and Machado in January. Gonzalez and Machado’s letter to Riley’s family outlined their intentions to establish a comprehensive framework for reparations, not only for Venezuelans harmed by the narco-state but also for victims abroad, including Riley’s family. They expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan refugees in the United States who long to return home to a free and prosperous Venezuela.
The Trump administration had been moving forward with a plan to deport Venezuelan nationals associated with the Tren de Aragua gang using the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime immigration law from 1798. Legal challenges arose, with a federal district court temporarily blocking the policy and prompting Trump allies to call for the impeachment of Judge James Boasberg. Around 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled their country over the past decade, seeking refuge from economic collapse and widespread poverty fueled by hyperinflation under Maduro’s regime.
Maduro, in power since 2013, has faced allegations of corruption, authoritarianism, money laundering, and drug trafficking. Despite international recognition of Urrutia’s election victory, Maduro has refused to step down. An arrest warrant has been issued for Gonzalez, who fled to Spain last September. The murder of Laken Riley, a nursing student, by Venezuelan national José Ibarra, who entered the U.S. illegally, led to national outrage and the enactment of new immigration legislation under the Trump administration.
Urrutia and Machado expressed their commitment to upholding the law and contributing to the U.S. economy and society among Venezuelan refugees in the U.S. They assured Riley’s family that she would never be forgotten and would be remembered as an innocent victim of tyranny, serving as a catalyst for the change they aim to bring about in Venezuela. The promise of reparations extended not only to Venezuelans but also to victims like Riley abroad. With ongoing legal battles over deportation efforts, the future of Venezuelan nationals in the U.S. remains uncertain amid the political turmoil in their home country.
