Trump Orders Immediate Reopening of Venezuela’s Commercial Airspace as Ties With Caracas Normalize

President Donald Trump has ordered the immediate reopening of Venezuela’s commercial airspace, saying the move comes weeks after a rapid change in Venezuela’s leadership. Speaking at the White House during his cabinet’s first meeting of the year, Trump said he had just completed a telephone call with Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, to inform her that flight access would be restored.

“We’re going to be opening up all commercial airspace over Venezuela,” Trump told attendees. “American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela and they’ll be safe there.”

The president said he had directed U.S. Transportation officials and Pentagon representatives to implement the change before the end of the day, describing the security situation in Venezuela as being “under very strong control” since the interim government assumed power.

Background

Direct commercial passenger and cargo flights between the United States and Venezuela had been suspended since May 2019, when the U.S. Department of Transportation concluded that conditions posed unacceptable safety and security risks to American carriers, crews and passengers. In November, as pressure on the Maduro government intensified, the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela was declared effectively closed, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised pilots to exercise caution because of heightened military activity.

Diplomatic And Commercial Implications

Trump framed the announcement as part of a rapid normalization of relations between Washington and Caracas under the interim administration, which includes many former subordinates of Nicolás Maduro. The reopening is expected to have immediate diplomatic and commercial effects, including increased travel and renewed aviation ties.

For U.S. oil companies, reopened airspace could ease logistical access for assessments and personnel. Trump said major U.S. oil firms were already on the ground in Venezuela conducting site surveys. He added: “We have the major oil companies going to Venezuela now, scouting it out and picking their locations, and they’ll be bringing back tremendous wealth for Venezuela and for the United States.” Restoring Venezuela’s petroleum production to previous levels, however, would likely require substantial investment after years of underinvestment and infrastructure deterioration.

Actors And Reactions

Delcy Rodríguez, once a close ally of Maduro and a prominent figure in his administration, has indicated a willingness to engage with U.S. demands while asserting Venezuela’s sovereign interests. Rodríguez has moved quickly to reset diplomatic ties and is reported to be advancing legislation affecting the energy sector. Earlier this week she said the U.S. had agreed to release certain foreign-held Venezuelan sovereign assets to be used for healthcare and energy purchases.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio told Congress that communications with Venezuela’s new leaders had been “very respectful and productive.” American Airlines, the last U.S. carrier operating regular flights to Venezuela prior to the 2019 suspension, said it plans to reinstate nonstop service in the coming months.

Outlook

The reopening of Venezuelan airspace signals a significant shift in U.S.-Venezuela relations with potential economic and geopolitical consequences. Observers say close monitoring will be needed to ensure passenger safety, the stability of diplomatic arrangements, and that any return of commercial activity benefits the Venezuelan population.