Ruptly
"Amid suitcases and a considerable increase in passengers, this is how the Caracas International Airport is this Thursday, following the official start of the resumption of direct flights between Venezuela and the United States, after almost seven years of suspension. Images show the first plane of the airline 'American Airlines' landing at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, coming from the United States, with the pilot waving a Venezuelan flag. "It's been more than seven years since [American Airlines] visited the country and it's here to stay. (...) we are here to welcome them, (...) the top of Latin America, which wants to connect with the world," announced Jacqueline Faría, Minister of Transportation of Venezuela. As part of the air reactivation, the United States Department of Transportation authorized American Airlines to resume direct flights from Miami to Caracas and Maracaibo, which will be operated by its regional subsidiary 'Envoy Air' through a permit valid for two years. "We are very happy, we are delighted to have you all here on this first direct flight from Miami to Caracas, and this should be the first of many," added Félix Plasencia, Chargé d'Affaires of Venezuela in the United States. The reestablishment of the service occurs after the government of Donald Trump lifted in January 2026 the restrictions that prevented its airlines from operating to Venezuela, in 2019, as part of a change in diplomatic relations between the two countries, after the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3 under a military operation by the United States. According to official information, the decision was driven by efforts of the American president with the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, in coordination with the now acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez. Despite the reestablishment of air operations, the United States Department of State keeps Venezuela on its list of countries "not recommended for travel" to its nationals, due to concerns related to security and internal stability."
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