Maiquetía (Venezuela) (AFP) – Venezuela on Friday received seven children who had been left behind in the United States after their parents were deported by the Donald Trump administration.

Seven boys and girls have been "rescued from the kidnapping to which they were being subjected," Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said at Maiquetia International Airport that serves Caracas.

Cabello and First Lady Cilia Flores received the flight from Houston that also brought back 244 Venezuelans.

Hundreds of people protested in Caracas last week demanding the return of at least 30 children the government says remained in the United States after their Venezuelan parents were expelled.

Last month, parliamentary president Jorge Rodriguez said the children were "separated from their mothers, their fathers, their family, their grandparents" and "taken to institutions where they don't belong."

Cabello said Friday the government was working hard "to bring the children back."

He did not say when the seven were separated from their parents.

Official figures show that since February, more than 8,200 people, including many children, have been repatriated to Venezuela from the United States and Mexico.