Venezuela opens arms to world with Miami-Caracas flight

The first direct flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years landed Thursday in Caracas, a new sign of thawing relations after Washington deposed leftist leader Nicolas Maduro. The flight operated by Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines, took off at 1426 GMT from Miami en route to Caracas, where the United States has resumed diplomatic ties after years of tension.

Flight 3599 touched down less than three hours later. Its manifest included senior officials from Washington flying to Caracas to meet the government, a prospect unthinkable just months ago. The flight symbolizes the end of Venezuela's years-long isolation by the United States.