In a notable shift in US-Venezuelan relations, President Donald Trump disclosed on Thursday that he has communicated to Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez his intention to reopen all commercial airspace over Venezuela. He stated that Americans would soon be able to travel safely to the South American country.
Trump described his directive as a direct order to several key officials. ‘‘I have instructed U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and military leaders to open up the airspace by the end of the day,’’ he said, affirming that this move would soon allow American citizens to visit Venezuela safely.
This announcement follows an earlier notification from the Trump administration to Congress regarding initial efforts to possibly restore the shuttered U.S. Embassy in Caracas. The administration is considering a phased resumption of diplomatic relations following previous interventions, including a U.S. military raid that deposed Nicolás Maduro from power.
According to a notice dated Monday and made available on Tuesday, the State Department is deploying an increasing number of temporary personnel to Caracas to carry out select diplomatic duties. This development was communicated via identical letters sent to 10 House and Senate committees.
The State Department highlighted its intention to implement a phased approach aimed at potentially resuming formal operations at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, signaling a tentative but deliberate move to rebuild diplomatic channels.
Diplomatic ties between the United States and Venezuela officially deteriorated in 2019, resulting in the closure of the U.S. Embassy. Since then, the U.S. government has issued its highest-level travel advisory, urging American citizens to avoid all travel to Venezuela.
As of Thursday, this advisory remained in effect, warning travelers of significant dangers including wrongful detention, torture, kidnapping, and other serious threats.