Trump orders reopening and normalization of Venezuelan airspace

Trump announced during a cabinet meeting, stating that he had spoken with Venezuela's interim regime to inform them of the decision.

Published by

Virginia Martínez

29 de enero, 2026

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President Donald Trump announced that the United States will reopen commercial airspace over Venezuela, after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency notice in early January that blocked U.S. civilian aircraft operations in the area. The decision represents the first formal step toward restoring regular air traffic following a disruption caused by the recent conflict.

Trump announced during a cabinet meeting, saying he had spoken with Venezuela's interim regime to inform them of the decision. The president assured that U.S. citizens would soon be able to travel to the South American country and that security conditions would permit it. He also indicated that he had ordered Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and U.S. military commanders to implement the reopening before the end of Thursday.

The context of the restrictions

The FAA notice was issued while the United States was conducting military operations in Venezuela that culminated in the capture of dictator Nicolas Maduro. At that time, the U.S. government announced that it would temporarily take control of certain functions of the country until a peaceful transition could take place.

As a consequence of that situation, civil air traffic was immediately suspended, affecting not only flights between the United States and Venezuela, but also hundreds of routes to the Caribbean, including routes between the United States, Puerto Rico and Aruba.

Oil rigs are pictured in Lake Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela on July 12, 2024. A putrid smell hangs over the black-stained shores of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, where an oil slick is emblematic of the steep decline in the country's once-enviable petroleum industry. Here, much like elsewhere in what was once Latin America's richest country, economic hardship drives much of the discussion ahead of the July 28 elections, in which President Nicolas Maduro will seek a third six-year term. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP)

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Diplomatic restoration underway

Since 2019, direct flights between the United States and Venezuela have remained suspended, and the U.S. embassy has been closed amid the diplomatic rupture between the two countries. The reopening announced by Trump first lifts the emergency ban and, at the same time, opens the possibility that air connections, which have been suspended for years, can begin to normalize.

Gradual return of flights

The presidential announcement had an immediate effect on the airline industry. American Airlines informed that it will reactivate direct flights between the United States and Venezuela. The company stated that it has more than three decades of history connecting both countries and that it is prepared to renew that relationship.

The airline stated that the resumption of operations will allow families to be reunited and open new trade and business opportunities between both nations, marking the beginning of a new stage after years of isolation.

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Diplomatic re-establishment underway

The reopening of airspace is part of a broader effort to normalize relations. The Trump administration has signaled that it is working to reestablish diplomatic ties with the Venezuelan regime.

In that framework, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the United States plans to reopen its embassy in Venezuela. As he explained, a U.S. team is already on the ground assessing conditions to reestablish a diplomatic presence "very soon."