Background on Key Figures and Context
Panama announced Thursday that it will resume commercial flights to Venezuela, suspended nearly a year ago. This move will facilitate the return of Venezuelan migrants expelled from the United States, as reported by Panama’s civil aviation authority.
In July 2024, Caracas banned flights from Panama after President José Raúl Mulino refused to acknowledge the results of Venezuela’s elections, in which Nicolás Maduro was reelected amidst allegations of fraud from the opposition.
Diplomatic relations between both countries have been suspended since that year.
Details of the Flight Resumption
The Civil Aeronautical Authority of Panama (AAC) confirmed the restart of air operations between Panama and Venezuela in a statement, stating that the flights will resume “under the principle of specialization” and according to the technical capacity of operators from both nations.
Panama’s airline, Copa Airlines, has already started working on the flight itinerary.
President Mulino mentioned receiving a proposal from Caracas to “resume flights” between the two countries, but he dismissed any implication of reestablishing diplomatic relations.
Impact on Venezuelan Migrants
The resumption of flights between Panama and Venezuela will aid the return of Venezuelan migrants who failed to enter the United States due to President Donald Trump’s restrictive migration policies.
With limited air connections, many Venezuelans have opted to travel by sea from Panama’s Caribbean coast to Colombia, then proceeding to Venezuela—a dangerous route.
“We need Venezuela’s assistance in transporting its citizens traveling from the north to the south,” President Mulino stated, emphasizing that these migrants are law-abiding individuals.
Over the past three years, more than a million migrants—mostly Venezuelans—have crossed the Darien jungle, on the Colombia-Panama border, en route to the United States.
However, the flow has drastically decreased due to fears of deportation under Trump’s policies, and the current movement is now in reverse.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the key figures mentioned? President José Raúl Mulino of Panama and Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela.
- Why were flights between Panama and Venezuela suspended? Caracas banned flights from Panama in July 2024 after President Mulino refused to acknowledge the results of Venezuela’s elections, which were marked by allegations of fraud from the opposition.
- What is the purpose of resuming flights? To facilitate the return of Venezuelan migrants expelled from the United States and to provide a safer travel option compared to the dangerous sea route currently used.
- How many migrants have crossed the Darien jungle in recent years? Over a million migrants, mostly Venezuelans, have crossed the Darien jungle since 2018.
- What changed the flow of migrants through the Darien jungle? Fears of deportation under President Trump’s policies led to a significant decrease in the number of migrants crossing the jungle.
