The US government has eased some restrictions on Venezuela's state-owned airline Conviasa by authorizing aircraft maintenance, repair and airworthiness-related services, a move that could help the carrier recover part of its grounded fleet and eventually support broader international operations.
The measure was announced through General License 59 issued by the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on June 18. The license authorizes transactions involving goods, technology, software and services needed for the maintenance, repair, refurbishment, upgrades and airworthiness of Conviasa aircraft.
The authorization also covers aircraft parts, software updates, inspections, testing, technical support, logistics and payment processing associated with those activities.
While the decision removes a significant obstacle for the airline, it does not lift broader sanctions on Conviasa. The license specifically excludes transactions involving entities linked to Russia, Iran, North Korea and Cuba, among other restrictions, and does not unblock frozen assets or automatically allow commercial flights to the United States.
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Conviasa has been under US sanctions since 2020, when Washington accused the airline of supporting the Maduro government through international transport operations. At the time, much of the carrier's fleet was designated as blocked property.
The airline's operational fleet has shrunk considerably in recent years. Although Conviasa officially lists 24 aircraft, only a small portion appears active. The carrier is believed to operate a single Airbus A340-600 on long-haul routes and around five Embraer E190 regional jets.
Several other aircraft remain parked, including two Airbus A340-200s, one A340-300, two additional A340-600s and roughly 11 E190s. Limited access to spare parts, technical support and maintenance services has been one of the factors affecting fleet availability.
The new license could help reverse part of that situation by allowing US-linked suppliers and service providers to support aircraft maintenance without requiring individual authorizations from OFAC.
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The development comes as air links between the United States and Venezuela have gradually resumed after years of disruption. American Airlines has already restored flights between Miami and Caracas, while other carriers have also returned to the market.
For Conviasa, however, the significance of the decision lies less in immediate route expansion and more in the possibility of restoring aircraft that have remained inactive for years. Any future return to the US market would still require regulatory approvals and commercial arrangements beyond the scope of the Treasury license.
The airline's international network once stretched far beyond Latin America, including services to destinations such as Moscow, Tehran and Havana. Whether Conviasa can rebuild a larger fleet and regain a broader international presence will depend on how effectively it can use the new flexibility to restore aircraft and improve operational reliability.
