President Donald Trump held a news conference Saturday morning that may have far-reaching implications not just for geopolitics but also for airlines, international aviation law, and the future of Venezuela’s flag carrier, Conviasa. With the United States having earlier struck targets in Venezuela and captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the president made extraordinary statements about the U.S. role in governance there, including multiple declarations that the United States would “run” Venezuela until a new government could be installed. Let’s examine the aviation angle.

Trump Says U.S. Will Run Venezuela After Maduro Capture; Airlines Brace For The Consequences

In a press conference at Mar-a-Lago Saturday morning, Trump described the U.S. operation that targeted Maduro and said the United States would take responsibility for Venezuela’s governance while a transition takes place. “We are going to run Venezuela,” Trump said. He emphasized that the American presence would continue “very strongly” as necessary, even acknowledging that “we’re not afraid of boots on the ground” should that be required to secure the situation.

“We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition, and it has to be judicious because that’s what we’re all about.”

That phrase “run Venezuela”  is not typical diplomatic language (especially when he repeatedly added that the U.S. would take Venezuelan oil…the man speaks with no filters!). Trump framed it as a temporary stewardship, necessary to protect Venezuelan citizens and ensure a transition to a new government structure. He also tied the overall operation to broader goals of counter-narco and anti-corruption efforts, though he did not provide details on what U.S. governance would look like in practice.

It was clear to me from Trump’s remarks that this is not merely a short reprieve before returning power back to Venezuelans. Trump told reporters that governing Venezuela “won’t cost us anything, because the money coming out of the ground is very substantial,” and that the U.S. would be “reimbursed” for its expenditures. That line sparked immediate discussion about resource control and U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s vast oil sector.

Trump’s news conference came after a dramatic overnight operation in Caracas and elsewhere in Venezuela in which, according to U.S. officials, President Maduro and his wife were captured and flown to U.S. custody. Trump has said they are being taken to New York to face federal charges, including narcoterrorism and corruption allegations.

What This Means For U.S. And International Airlines

The aviation consequences of all this are immediate and growing. Earlier today, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ban on U.S. carriers flying over Venezuelan airspace “due to ongoing military activity,” forcing widespread reroutes, cancellations, and schedule chaos across the Caribbean and northern South America. Airlines are being extremely conservative in the face of real and perceived risk to aircraft and passengers.

But the implications extend far beyond today’s flight schedules. If the United States assumes some form of administrative control over Venezuelan territory, even temporary, it could fundamentally reshape aviation in that nation.

If there is guerrilla-style resistance to the U.S. or the regime it imposes, routes that once transited near or through Venezuelan airspace may be restructured on a long-term basis.

Moreover, foreign carriers such as KLM, Air France, and Iberia, which operate flights into the Caribbean and northern South America, must contend with not only diverted routings but also the potential of long-term airspace uncertainty. Even carriers not currently banned from Venezuelan airspace are reacting to broader safety concerns and adjusting schedules accordingly.

U.S. control over Venezuelan airspace and infrastructure could also affect how other Latin American carriers operate to and through the region. Airlines such as Copa, LATAM, Avianca, and others may find themselves negotiating new traffic rights if the regulatory environment shifts.

Meanwhile, if the situation on the ground stabilizes and a more U.S.-friendly government comes to power, we could well see the restoration of direct air service between the United States and Venezuela. U.S. carriers were forced to pull out of Venezuela years ago due to violence on the ground that put flight crews at risk and remuneration issues, as the Hugo Chavez and later Maduro governments placed controls on the export of currency as the Venezuelan economy flailed.

Conviasa And The Question Of Venezuela’s Flag Carrier

Another aviation issue is the fate of Venezuela’s national airline, Conviasa. For years, Conviasa has had a troubled reputation in international aviation circles. It has operated a limited network and been subject to international sanctions, in part because of its connections with sanctioned entities and irregular flight patterns that raised questions about logistics outside normal commercial norms.

Conviasa aircraft have made occasional flights linking Venezuela with markets such as Iran and Russia, regions that have been under significant Western sanctions, and some of these operations have been tied to suspicions of transporting sanctioned goods or facilitating non-standard logistics. Public sources suggest that aircraft with ties to sanctioned carriers, including Iran’s Mahan Air, were used by Conviasa or affiliates for flights that skirted typical regulatory oversight. That history might be sufficient grounds for the U.S. to assert control over Conviasa’s fleet and assets.

If the United States does take over oversight of Venezuela’s aviation infrastructure, including Conviasa, several possibilities emerge, including a temporary grounding to prevent further sanctioned flights or even an asset seizure.

CONCLUSION

President Trump’s assertions that the United States will “run” Venezuela until a transition can occur mark an extraordinary moment in both American foreign policy and potentially international aviation. The short-term fallout has already disrupted thousands of flights, but the long-term implications, from airspace control to national carrier oversight, could reshape commercial aviation in the region.

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