PERU · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —What is happening On Thursday, 15 October, Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori announced a call with Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez to coordinate the expulsion of undocumented Venezuelans, with both foreign ministries drafting protocols for removals by air.
- —Why it matters Peru hosts about 1.6 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees, the second largest community abroad, and most are in irregular status, so a removal plan by air differs from the boat deportations floated in September.
- —The numbers Peru expelled more than 2,800 irregular foreigners from January to mid-September 2026, after 5,461 operations that checked the papers of 83,422 foreigners; no figure for the new flights has been given.
- —Who is who Keiko Fujimori leads Peru for the conservative Fuerza Popular party since July 2026; Delcy Rodríguez is Venezuela’s acting president since Nicolás Maduro was captured; Vuelta a la Patria is Caracas’s programme to bring emigrants home.
- —What to watch The date of the first flight, the number of people to be removed and the legal basis have not been announced, and the two foreign ministries are still drafting the protocols.
- —Power Index Peru ranks 5th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 54.7 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you The US also removes Venezuelans by air under a deal with Caracas and lists Tren de Aragua as a terrorist group, but no source links Peru’s plan to US policy.
Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori said on 15 October that Peru and Venezuela are drafting protocols for expulsion flights of undocumented Venezuelans. Peru hosts about 1.6 million Venezuelans, and no flight date or head count has been announced.
Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori announced on Thursday, 15 October, that Peru and Venezuela are preparing expulsion flights for undocumented Venezuelans. She said she had spoken by phone with Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez.
Peru hosts about 1.6 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees, so any removal programme is large for the region. For US readers, the plan echoes Washington’s own removal flights to Caracas, though no source links the two.
What Peru and Venezuela Said on Expulsion Flights
Andina, Peru’s state news agency, and Infobae Perú both reported the call on Thursday. Both cite a post on the president’s official X account.
Fujimori wrote that Peru will begin supporting Venezuela’s Vuelta a la Patria plan, which Infobae described as a voluntary return programme. She said both governments will coordinate the expulsion of undocumented Venezuelans from Peru.
The two foreign ministries are already coordinating protocols for removals by air, in an orderly and safe way, she added. She thanked the Venezuelan government for its willingness to cooperate.
Neither outlet gives a call time, flight date or head count. Neither carried a statement from Rodríguez or the Venezuelan government.
How Many Venezuelans Live in Peru
Peru hosts about 1.6 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees, the second largest community abroad, El Peruano reported. Most of them are in irregular status, the same report said.
Caretas, citing UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, put the June 2025 count at 1.66 million, with over one million in Lima. The explainer on Peru’s population and ethnic groups covers the community.
From Boats to Flights
As of 14 September, Migraciones, Peru’s immigration agency, had expelled more than 2,800 irregular foreigners since January, El Peruano reported. Superintendent Luis Yunis Herrera said 5,461 operations had checked the papers of 83,422 foreigners.
El Peruano gave no breakdown by nationality. Interior Minister César Astudillo told Congress in early September that agreements with Venezuela were being prepared for deportations by boat.
On 24 July, Peru and Venezuela agreed to restart relations step by step, beginning with consular ties, T13 of Chile reported. Relations had been cut in July 2024, after Peru’s foreign minister alleged fraud in Nicolás Maduro’s re-election.
In the 31 May presidential debate, Fujimori promised to deport undocumented immigrants who commit crimes, Caretas wrote. Her Thursday post refers to undocumented Venezuelans without that limit.
Where Washington Fits In
Venezuela already receives removal flights from the United States. El Nacional reported that two flights brought 305 migrants on Wednesday, 14 October.
El Nacional said the head of the Vuelta a la Patria mission confirmed the arrivals, under a scheme agreed with Washington. EFE reported in April that 316 migrants arrived from Arizona on the 133rd flight since a January 2025 deal.
Rodríguez took over as acting president after Maduro was captured. EFE cited official figures of more than 5,000 returns in the first 100 days of her government.
Washington listed Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal gang, as a foreign terrorist organisation on 20 February 2025. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed the designation on 6 February, the Federal Register notice shows.
Peruvian police broke up an alleged Tren de Aragua extortion cell in Lima this week, as earlier coverage showed. Nothing opened says the new flights would target gang suspects.
What It Means for US Readers
US readers can compare Washington’s removal flights to Caracas with a plan Lima has only begun to draft. The sources do not say whether Washington was consulted on Peru’s plan.
Venezuelans who leave Peru could return home, stay in South America or move on, and no source gives a forecast. The explainers on Peru’s security picture and who holds power in Peru give the political setting.
Travellers to Lima face no change, because no flight or rule has taken effect. The Lima city guide covers the capital.
What Is Not Known
No source opened gives a first flight date, a head count or an airline. It is not known whether removals would be voluntary, forced or both, since Vuelta a la Patria is a voluntary return plan.
The legal basis and the cost are unconfirmed. It is also unclear who would be covered, because Fujimori’s campaign pledge named only people accused of crimes.
No Venezuelan statement on the call was found, and any US role is unknown. The number of undocumented Venezuelans among the 1.6 million in Peru is also not given.
What Comes Next
Fujimori said the foreign ministries are still working on the protocols, so dates and numbers should come from them. No date for that announcement has been given.
Migraciones publishes expulsion totals, so a new count would show whether removals are speeding up. No date for an update has been confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Peru and Venezuela agree?
Fujimori said on 15 October that Peru will back Venezuela’s Vuelta a la Patria plan and coordinate expulsions of undocumented Venezuelans. The foreign ministries are drafting protocols for removals by air.
How many Venezuelans live in Peru?
About 1.6 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees live in Peru, the second largest community abroad. Most are in irregular status, according to El Peruano.
When will the first flight leave?
No date has been announced. Fujimori said only that the foreign ministries are working on the protocols.
Who is Delcy Rodríguez?
She is Venezuela’s acting president, having taken over after Nicolás Maduro was captured. Fujimori described her as Venezuela’s president in her post.
Does the plan involve the United States?
No source opened links the plan to US policy. The US runs its own removal flights to Venezuela under a deal with Caracas.
Sources: Andina, President Fujimori and Delcy Rodríguez on migration, 15 October; Infobae Perú, Keiko Fujimori calls Delcy Rodríguez to coordinate expulsion of undocumented Venezuelans by air, 15 October; El Peruano, Migraciones has expelled more than 2,800 irregular foreigners, 14 September; Infobae Perú, Peru weighs mass expulsions by boat, 8 September; T13, Peru and Venezuela agree to resume relations, 24 July; Caretas, Fujimori on deporting undocumented immigrants who commit crimes, 31 May; El Nacional, two flights from the US arrive in Venezuela with 305 migrants, 15 October; Estrategia & Negocios, EFE report on returns to Venezuela, 18 April; US Department of State, foreign terrorist organization designations, Federal Register, 20 February 2025 (all accessed 15 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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