The United States government authorized this Thursday (29) the reopening of Venezuela’s airspace for commercial flights, allowing the resumption of operations between the two countries after years of suspension. The announcement was made by President Donald Trump in a speech at the White House, weeks after the capture of former dictator Nicolás Maduro by American forces during an operation carried out in Caracas, on the 3rd.
According to Trump, the decision was communicated directly to Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez.
“I spoke with the president of Venezuela and informed her that all commercial airspace in the country will be reopened,” he stated. The American president added that the measure will allow travel to resume safely. “American citizens will be able to travel to Venezuela again soon and will be safe. The country is under strict control.”
Trump also said that he ordered the immediate execution of the decision. “I ordered the Secretary of Transport, Sean Duffy, and all the bodies involved, including the military, that Venezuela’s airspace be reopened today for the resumption of flights,” he declared.
The authorization comes after years of restrictions imposed by Washington, which suspended commercial flights to Venezuela in 2019, amid the worsening political crisis and security alerts issued by American authorities.
Shortly after the White House’s announcement, American Airlines announced, in an official statement, that it intends to be the first company in the United States to resume direct flights to Venezuela.
“American intends to resume daily flights to Venezuela, subject to government approval and the completion of safety assessments,” the company said.
The company stated that it will work in coordination with authorities and partners to resume operations.
“American will work closely with regulatory agencies, institutional partners, unions and its teams to ensure a safe resumption of flights,” the statement added.
The company’s commercial director, Nat Pieper, highlighted American’s history in flights of this type.
“We have more than 30 years of history connecting Venezuelans to the United States and we are ready to renew this relationship,” he stated. According to him, the return of operations will allow families to reunite and help reestablish commercial ties between the two countries.
American Airlines began operations in Venezuela in 1987 and, before suspending flights in 2019, was the largest American airline operating in the country. The company said it will release details about routes and schedules in the coming months as it moves through the process of regulatory authorizations and safety assessments.
Despite the announced reopening, the United States Department of State still maintains Venezuela under maximum travel alert, recommending that American citizens not travel to the country due to risks such as violent crime and arbitrary detentions. The White House did not detail whether new security reviews will be required before flights can actually begin.
