SANTO DOMINGO – After nearly two years of suspension, air connectivity between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela is beginning to normalize. The Civil Aviation Board approved the resumption of passenger, cargo, and mail transport operations on February 2nd through Resolution 24-26, within the framework of agreements reached between the two governments.
Operations had been suspended since July 29, 2024 , when the Venezuelan government ordered the closure of commercial flights to and from Dominican territory. This decision reactivates a mobility channel that had been interrupted during one of the periods of greatest diplomatic and political tension between Caracas and several countries in the region.
What is being reactivated and who is resuming operations
Under the agreement approved by the JAC), Venezuelan airlines such as Rutas Aéreas de Venezuela (RAV), RUTACA, LASER Airlines, Turpial Airlines, and Avior Airlines will resume operations. On the Dominican side, routes to Venezuela will be operated by Red Air and Sky High Aviation Dominicana. The decision includes not only commercial passenger flights but also cargo and mail operations, a significant point in terms of logistics, trade, and business relations. The JAC indicated that the reopening will be carried out under criteria of order, safety, and compliance with bilateral agreements, in coordination with the Executive Branch.
The political context surrounding the reopening
The resumption of flights is not happening in a vacuum. It comes amid a political and geopolitical realignment that has once again placed Venezuela at the center of the regional agenda. In January 2016, US President Donald Trump confirmed the capture of Nicolás Maduro , an event that marked a turning point in the relationship between Caracas and Washington and opened a new phase of political and economic pressure on the South American country.
From that moment on, the United States tightened its control over Venezuelan oil logistics, including seizures of tankers and temporary export blocks, while it began to redefine the international licensing and oversight scheme for Venezuelan crude.
Oil and investment: the economic piece of the board
Alongside the political hardening, Venezuela has given clear signs of selective economic opening, especially in the energy sector. At the beginning of this year, the Venezuelan government, under the operational leadership of Delcy Rodríguez, promoted legal reforms to attract private investment in the oil sector, making participation schemes more flexible, adjusting taxes, and enabling international arbitration mechanisms.
As a result, Venezuelan crude exports rebounded sharply. In January alone, shipments exceeded 800,000 barrels per day, compared to less than 500,000 barrels per day recorded at the end of 2015, with a significant increase in shipments to the United States under new control schemes.
This shift has put Venezuela back on the radar of energy investors, not as a fully open market, but as a territory in transition, where investment moves under stricter rules , but with clear incentives in a context of international prices and demand.
A reopening that responds to economic reality
The resumption of flights between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela fits into this broader context. Air travel once again allows families to reunite, trade and business activity that had been frozen to resume, and energy deals to continue maintaining Venezuela's relationship with the United States and the Caribbean.
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