Jhoan B.: 25-year-old Venezuelan held 16 days at Guantanamo, then deported home
Jhoan Bastidas, 25, was held 16 days at Guantanamo Bay, shackled with limited sunlight and food, before deportation to Venezuela. He now works at a hot dog stand in Maracaibo.
Mar 5, 2025Country of origin: Venezuela

Jhoan Bastidas, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national, was deported from the United States and detained for 16 days at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba before being transferred to Venezuela. During his detention, he was confined to a small cell, shackled when leaving the cell, allowed sunlight only three days per week, and had minimal access to food, books, or activities. The U.S. government alleged Bastidas was a member of the Tren de Aragua gang based on his chest tattoos, a claim he denied. He has since returned to his hometown in Maracaibo and begun working at a hot dog stand.
Timeline
Tags
Sources
Loading…
Related incidents
- ICE arrests four Haitian nationals in nationwide sweepOct 22, 2026 · Washington, DC
- Ahmed S.: Gay Arizona man deported, beaten in Equatorial GuineaOct 22, 2026 · Tucson, AZ
- ICE agent points pistol at workers during Texas workplace raidOct 21, 2026 · Brownsville, TX
- Three parents arrested by ICE outside Van Nuys elementary schoolOct 21, 2026 · Van Nuys, CA
- Oakland man hospitalized with broken ribs after ICE tackles him to groundOct 21, 2026 · Oakland, CA
- Santa Rosa man pulled from car at gunpoint by ICE agentsOct 21, 2026 · Santa Rosa, CA