US has asserted control over Venezuela on key issues of sovereignty and made threats of further military attacks.
Published On 29 Jan 2026
United States President Donald Trump has said that he ordered the reopening of Venezuelan commercial airspace, underscoring the high degree of control the US has asserted over the affairs of the South American country.
During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump added that he had “informed” Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez that US oil companies would be arriving soon to seek out potential projects in the country.
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“American citizens will very shortly be able to go to Venezuela, and they will be safe there. It’s under very strong control,” Trump said during a cabinet meeting at the White House.
The US has used the threat of further military strikes to coerce the country’s government into alignment with the priorities of the Trump administration on key issues, brushing aside concerns about Venezuelan sovereignty.
Venezuelan airspace has been closed since before the US launched a military attack on the country on January 3, in an operation widely seen as illegal under international law.
The attack culminated in the abduction of former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who have since been brought to New York City to stand trial on narcotics-related charges.
American Airlines announced that the carrier would resume flights to Venezuela after Trump said that he had asked the Transportation Department to lift previous restrictions, pending approval from the Trump administration and secure conditions.
The US suspended commercial flights to Venezuela in 2019.
Trump stated, during the cabinet meeting, that oil companies were “going to Venezuela now, scouting it out and picking their locations” without offering further details.
While the White House has previously said that oil companies are eager to take advantage of new opportunities in Venezuela following the ouster of Maduro, some in the industry have continued to express reservations about investing money and resources in the country.