U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he told Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodriguez that all commercial airspace over the country would be reopened and that Americans would soon be able to visit.
President Trump said he has directed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and U.S. military leaders to take steps to open airspace for travel by the end of the day.
“Americans will soon be able to go to Venezuela and be safe there,” the president said.
The Venezuelan government did not immediately comment on the announcement.
The State Department continued to warn Americans against traveling to Venezuela, but at least one U.S. airline announced its intention to resume direct flights between the two countries soon.
American Airlines became the last U.S. airline to serve Venezuela in 2019 when it suspended flights between Miami and Caracas and the oil capital of Maracaibo.
The airline said Thursday it will work with federal authorities on safety assessments and necessary permits, and will share additional details about resuming operations in the coming months.
“We have a more than 30-year history of connecting Venezuelans and the United States, and we stand ready to renew that great relationship,” American Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Nat Pieper said in a statement.
“By resuming service to Venezuela, American Airlines will provide customers with an opportunity to reunite with their families and generate new business and commerce with the United States.”
Flight suspension
U.S. airlines stopped flying to Venezuela before the Department of Homeland Security ordered an indefinite grounding in 2019, saying the situation there threatened “the safety and security of passengers, aircraft and crew.”
Earlier this week, the Trump administration informed Congress that it was taking the first steps to potentially reopen the shuttered U.S. embassy in Caracas as it seeks to restore relations with the country after the U.S. military raid that ousted then-President Nicolas Maduro.
In a memo to lawmakers dated Monday and obtained by The Associated Press, the State Department said it is adding temporary staff on a regular basis to carry out “select” diplomatic missions.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries broke down in 2019.
Despite President Trump’s indications that Americans are safe in Venezuela, the State Department maintained its highest level travel advisory: “Do not travel,” warning of high risks of unlawful detention, torture, and kidnapping.
The department did not immediately respond to a message asking whether it would change its warning.
In November, as Trump ramped up pressure on Maduro, he said airspace “over and around” Venezuela should be considered “totally closed.”
The Federal Aviation Administration, which has general jurisdiction over the United States and its territories, has told pilots to use caution when flying around Venezuela due to increased military activity.
In response to the FAA’s warning, airlines around the world began canceling flights to Venezuela.
The FAA issued a similar 60-day warning in January, telling U.S. aircraft operators to “exercise caution” when flying over the eastern Pacific Ocean near Mexico, Central America and parts of South America.
The warning was issued after Maduro’s arrest, but also as the United States threatened to continue its military attacks on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the area.
The FAA announced Thursday that it was lifting four Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) for the area, saying they were “issued as a precautionary measure and are no longer necessary.”
“Safety remains our top priority,” the FAA said in a statement, “and we look forward to facilitating the resumption of regular travel between the United States and Venezuela.”
Additional sources of information • AP