Venezuela and the United States have agreed to resume flights of migrants deported from the U.S., senior officials from each country said on Thursday, after an apparent pause in the repatriation flights which kicked off last month.

While portrayed by the Trump administration as hardened criminals, the Venezuelans deported from the United States were welcomed back with open arms as prodigal sons and daughters — ironically, by the man in charge of the repressive apparatus that initially forced many of them to flee.