Venezuela Roundup: American Airline restoration, mining opportunities for investors, delayed salary protests

American Airlines plans Venezuela return

American Airlines said it plans to resume flights to Venezuela as early as April 30, potentially becoming the first US carrier to return after a seven-year suspension of services. The airline received approval from the US Department of Transportation in early March and is now working with authorities in both countries to finalise security and regulatory requirements. If cleared, the carrier will operate daily nonstop flights between Miami and Caracas using Embraer 175 aircraft, with services run by its regional subsidiary Envoy. The move follows a major shift in US–Venezuela relations after the January 3 operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, which prompted Washington to lift a long-standing ban on commercial flights imposed in 2019 over safety concerns.

Venezuela opens mining sector to private investors after oil overhaul

Venezuela has approved sweeping reforms to open its mineral sector to private and foreign investors, just weeks after easing state control over oil, as part of a US-backed economic shift. The new law introduces long-term concessions, legal protections and international arbitration to attract investment into a sector long dominated by the state and plagued by illegal mining. The move follows the January removal of Nicolás Maduro and the rise of interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, who is pushing market-oriented reforms to revive the economy. Despite vast reserves of gold, diamonds and other minerals, much of the sector remains underdeveloped and controlled by illicit networks, raising doubts about how effectively the reforms can be enforced.

Venezuela’s scrapped plan to acquire Iranian ballistic missiles

In 2020, Venezuela’s defence ministry under Nicolás Maduro set aside more than $400 million to acquire a ballistic missile system from Iran, according to internal documents cited by officials familiar with the plan. The proposal was part of broader discussions between Tehran and Caracas over transferring long-range missile capabilities, raising concerns in Washington that such weapons could threaten US territory. US officials at the time pushed back strongly, warning that any transfer would not be tolerated. The deal was ultimately abandoned under American pressure, and no missiles were delivered, though evidence suggests negotiations had advanced further than publicly acknowledged.

Venezuelan police block wage and pension protesters in Caracas

Workers and retirees in Caracas marched towards the presidential palace, demanding higher wages and decent pensions, but were blocked by police, highlighting deepening anger over incomes of about $160 a month in the public sector and $237 in the private sector, far below the cost of living. The protest came a day after interim President Delcy Rodríguez urged patience while promising a cautious wage increase. Still, demonstrators pushed past initial barricades before being stopped roughly 2 kilometres from the Miraflores palace, underscoring growing frustration with years of stagnant pay and limited purchasing power.

Delcy Rodríguez stays on as Venezuela’s acting president beyond the 90-day limit

Delcy Rodríguez has remained Venezuela’s acting president beyond the 90-day constitutional limit set after Nicolás Maduro’s capture, with lawmakers yet to formally extend her mandate, leaving her tenure legally uncertain. A court ruling still recognises Maduro as president, describing his absence as “forced”, while the constitution allows an interim leader for 90 days, extendable once by the National Assembly, which has not held a vote. Analysts say the situation reflects a familiar pattern of legal manoeuvring to maintain power amid ongoing political uncertainty.