Following Washington’s overthrow of leftist leader Nicolas Maduro, the first direct flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years took off on Thursday, marking a new indication of a thaw.
The American Airlines flight departed Miami at 10:26 a.m. (1426 GMT) on its way to Caracas, where the US has restored diplomatic ties following years of hostilities.
Officials and journalists made up the majority of the first flight’s manifest. Only a few months ago, it was unimaginable that senior Washington officials would travel to Caracas to speak with the regime.
The thaw is anticipated to increase US economic presence in the South American country with the greatest proven oil reserves in the world. There are about 1.2 million Venezuelans living in the United States.
However, President Donald Trump has also been actively working to expel Venezuelans from the United States, ending a policy that protected immigrants from being sent back to the nation plagued by violence.
In a fatal operation in Caracas on January 3, US agents captured longstanding US enemy Maduro and flew him and his wife to New York to face drug trafficking accusations, which they deny.
After taking over as Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez has largely worked with the United States despite her ideological background.
Trump has expressed delight with her treatment of US corporations and has attempted to use threats of violence to compel cooperation. Venezuela has taken steps to allow private investment in its mining and oil industries.
In response, Rodriguez’s personal penalties have been lifted, and Trump has begun to loosen the sanctions against Venezuela.
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