WASHINGTON, United States, March 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The US Department of Transportation on Wednesday authorized an American Airlines (AA) subsidiary to operate direct flights to the Venezuelan cities of Caracas and Maracaibo from Miami, two months after Washington deposed the country's leader.

Envoy Air, a wholly-owned AA subsidiary, is authorized to operate the flights for a two-year period, after applying for the permit on February 13, the US Department of Transportation said in a notice.

American Airlines confirmed the development in a statement to AFP. The US-based airline suspended services to Venezuela in 2019, having operated there for more than 30 years prior.

Envoy will operate daily nonstop service to both Venezuelan cities from the southern US city of Miami, AA said, with no start date immediately announced.

The United States launched a military raid on January 3 to seize then Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, killing more than a hundred people, according to Caracas.

Since then, US President Donald Trump has backed Maduro's deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, as interim leader.

Rodriguez has largely toed Washington's line, opening up the country's vast oil reserves to US investment and implementing some political reforms.

American Airlines said in January, weeks after the US operation, that it was applying for the resumption of direct flights to the Latin American country.

"By restarting service to Venezuela, American will offer customers the opportunity to reunite with families and create new business and commerce with the United States," Nat Pieper, American's chief commercial officer, said at the time.

US-Venezuela ties had steadily deteriorated under Maduro's rule, which was marked by an authoritarian crackdown on dissent and stark opposition to Washington's international policies.

The country had been under strict US sanctions under both Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden, but some restrictions -- particularly around the oil trade -- began to be eased after the US operation to oust Maduro.