By Kylie Madry

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican state-run airline Mexicana will kick off cargo flights soon, its chief executive said on Monday, and is eyeing opportunities to launch international flights throughout the Americas.

Mexicana, run by the military, re-started operations at the end of last year after the government bought the rights to the brand from a defunct airline.

At the moment, the carrier operates domestic passenger flights, using the also military-run airport outside of Mexico City as its hub.

“Soon we’ll start offering cargo (flights),” CEO Leobardo Avila said at a panel alongside business leaders, including the chief executive of Brazilian planemaker Embraer.

Mexicana signed an agreement in June for 20 Embraer E2 jetliners.

With their arrival, Avila said, Mexicana can greatly boost its offerings.

The executive did not say how soon Mexicana could launch cargo flights, but that it was targeting large supply chains.

(Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Chris Reese and Sarah Morland)