Washington, D.C., January 30, 2026 – The Europe Today: U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States will soon open all commercial airspace over Venezuela, a move that could allow American citizens to travel to the South American nation after years of restricted access.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said he informed Venezuela’s acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, of the decision and instructed U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy along with military leaders to ensure the airspace is opened by the end of the day. “American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there,” the Republican president said.
The announcement marks a significant shift in U.S. policy toward Venezuela, coming in the wake of efforts to restore diplomatic ties following the collapse of relations in 2019. Earlier this week, the Trump administration notified Congress that it is taking initial steps to potentially reopen the shuttered U.S. Embassy in Caracas. The State Department said it is beginning a phased approach to resume diplomatic operations with temporary staff conducting “select” functions.
American Airlines, the last U.S. carrier to operate flights to Venezuela before suspending service in 2019, has indicated plans to resume service pending government approvals and security assessments.
Venezuela’s government did not immediately comment on Trump’s announcement. Since 2019, direct commercial flights between the two countries have been halted amid longstanding political tensions and travel safety concerns.
The move underscores a broader shift in U.S.–Venezuela relations, which have been highly strained in recent years but may be moving toward partial normalization.
