The Journey of Jhoan Bastidas: A Venezuelan Deportee’s Struggle for Survival
Jhoan Bastidas, a 25-year-old Venezuelan, found himself at the center of a harrowing immigration ordeal when he was deported from the United States and detained at the infamous Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba. His story is one of resilience, faith, and the relentless pursuit of a better life, set against the backdrop of a spiraling crisis in Venezuela and a tightening U.S. immigration crackdown under the Trump administration. Bastidas was held for 16 days in a cramped, camera-monitored cell at Guantanamo, surviving on meager meals that left him perpetually hungry. Now back in his hometown of Maracaibo, Venezuela, he is trying to piece together his life and make sense of the harrowing experiences that brought him full circle.
Piecing Lives Together: The Plight of Venezuelan Deportees
Bastidas is one of roughly 350 Venezuelans deported to their homeland in recent weeks as part of the Trump administration’s aggressive push to ramp up immigration enforcement. Many of these individuals were detained at Guantanamo Bay, a facility notorious for housing terrorism suspects, before being flown to Honduras and eventually returned to Venezuela. The U.S. government has alleged that many of these deportees are members of the Tren de Aragua gang, a criminal organization with roots in Venezuela, but little evidence has been provided to support this claim. Bastidas, for his part, denies any involvement with the gang, attributing his detention to the tattoos on his chest, which he believes led U.S. authorities to misjudge him.
The deportation of Venezuelans is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to expel a record number of immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status. At the same time, the Venezuelan government, under President Nicolás Maduro, has historically refused to accept deportees from the U.S., exceptions being rare and limited. The recent transfers have drawn criticism from human rights advocates, particularly after the U.S. invoked an 18th century wartime law—the Alien Enemies Act of 1798—to expedite the deportations. A federal judge has since issued a temporary order halting these deportations, but the legal battle is ongoing.
Leaving Venezuela: A Desperate Search for a Better Life
Bastidas’ journey began in 2018 when he, his mother, and siblings fled Maracaibo, a city once thriving with oil wealth but now battered by economic collapse. The family moved to Peru and later Colombia, joining millions of Venezuelans who have left their homeland since 2013, when the country’s oil-dependent economy began to unravel under Maduro’s leadership. Back in Maracaibo, life grew increasingly dire. Power outages became a daily occurrence, grocery stores stood empty, and entire neighborhoods were abandoned as families sold their belongings to escape.
In November 2023, Bastidas set his sights on the U.S., driven by the promise of a better life. His brother, already in the U.S., promised him a car and a job delivering food in Utah. Bastidas crossed the U.S.-Mexico border and turned himself in to authorities, hoping for asylum. Instead, he was detained in El Paso, Texas, until February, when he was abruptly handcuffed, flown to Guantanamo, and held in a cell with no windows, no books, and little human interaction. “I was locked up all day in a little room—I counted the feet: 7 wide and 13 long—without being able to do anything, without a book, looking at the walls,” he recalled.
Guantanamo: A Detention Like No Other
Life inside Guantanamo was brutal and dehumanizing. Bastidas was shackled whenever he left his cell, even when showering or exercising in a recreation area he described as a “cage.” The only glimpse of sunlight came during an hourly break every three days. With no access to books or communication, Bastidas and other detainees turned to prayer, reading from Bibles provided by authorities and sharing scripture through the cell doors. “We used to say that the one who was going to get us out was God because we didn’t see any other solutions. We didn’t have anyone to lean on,” he said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the conditions at Guantanamo or the treatment of detainees. Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit alleging cruelty by guards and citing reports of suicide attempts by at least three people held at the facility. Bastidas and other Venezuelans were eventually flown back to their homeland on February 20, delivered to their homes by armed state intelligence agents.
Back Home: Rebuilding a Shattered Life
Maracaibo, once a bustling city fueled by oil wealth, now stands as a shadow of its former self. Abandoned storefronts, shuttered businesses, and empty homes testify to the mass exodus of its population. Yet, despite the bleakness, Bastidas is determined to move forward. After spending two weeks recovering from his ordeal, he began working at a hot dog stand, a modest but vital step toward rebuilding his life.
The news of the Venezuelans’ detention at Guantanamo sent shockwaves through Maracaibo, sparking debates on social media and WhatsApp about their treatment, alleged gang ties, and the broader crisis driving migration. Bastidas, however, is choosing to focus on his faith to navigate the noise. “I see it as a kind of test that the Lord put me through,” he said. “He has another purpose for me. It wasn’t for me to be (in the U.S.), and he kept me there (in detention) for some reason.”
As Bastidas rebuilds his life, he represents the resilience of countless Venezuelans who have endured unimaginable hardships in search of a better future. His story is a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to withstand suffering and find hope in the darkest corners of the world.
