Panama Restores Venezuela Flights After Ten-Month Diplomatic Freeze

Panama’s Civil Aviation Authority announced Thursday the resumption of commercial flights with Venezuela after a ten-month suspension that began in July 2024.

The move addresses mounting pressure to restore economic ties despite ongoing diplomatic tensions. The flight suspension originated when Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro withdrew diplomatic staff from Panama.

This followed Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino’s refusal to recognize Maduro’s contested reelection victory. Panama became one of the first Latin American countries to demand election result reviews.

The diplomatic rupture carried significant economic consequences. Panama’s Colón Free Zone lost 8.5% of its re-exports to Venezuela, totaling $489.5 million in annual trade. Copa Airlines suspended all operations, previously operating 42 weekly flights to Venezuela.

Venezuelan migrants in Panama have invested approximately $1.8 billion in the Panamanian economy over the past decade. The flight suspension forced many Venezuelan nationals to arrange dangerous overland journeys through the Darién jungle or risky boat passages.

President Mulino emphasized that reopening flights serves Panama’s national interests. He received correspondence from Venezuelan authorities proposing flight resumption but stressed Venezuela must accept deported Venezuelan migrants from Panama.

Copa Airlines confirmed operations would restart and began finalizing flight schedules. Venezolana Airlines advertised flights beginning Friday.

The aviation authority emphasized that flight resumption follows reciprocity principles and depends on both countries’ technical operator capacity.

Despite flight restoration, diplomatic relations remain severed. Mulino dismissed any immediate possibility of restoring formal diplomatic ties with Venezuela.

The decision reflects Panama’s pragmatic approach to balancing economic interests with political principles while addressing practical migration challenges.

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