Six international airlines have suspended flights to Venezuela following a United States advisory warning of a “potentially hazardous situation” caused by “heightened military activity” in the region.
The affected carriers include Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Chile’s LATAM, Colombia’s Avianca, Brazil’s GOL, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Caribbean Airlines. TAP confirmed its decision was linked to the US notice, stating that “safety conditions in Venezuelan airspace are not guaranteed.” Iberia has suspended flights to Caracas until further notice. Several other airlines, including Panama’s Copa and Turkish Airlines, are reportedly continuing operations for now.
The flight suspensions coincide with escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. The US has deployed military assets, including an aircraft carrier, to the Caribbean for what it describes as an anti-narcotics operation. However, the Venezuelan government views the deployment as a direct threat aimed at forcing President Nicolás Maduro from power.
This military posturing follows a series of escalating measures by the Trump administration. Washington has intensified economic sanctions, offered a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, and accused him of leading a drug trafficking organization it labeled a “terrorist” group. These actions build on years of strained relations, with successive US administrations questioning Maduro’s legitimacy over allegations of corruption and election fraud.
President Maduro has condemned the US actions as “pretexts” for an invasion. While expressing a willingness to engage in dialogue, he has warned that Venezuela is prepared to defend itself. “If they break peace and persist in their neocolonial intentions, they will face a huge surprise,” he stated.
President Donald Trump has sent conflicting signals, at times downplaying the possibility of war while at other moments refusing to rule out military intervention to “take care of Venezuela.”
Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado argued that ousting Maduro would be a restoration of democracy, asserting the president had rigged the previous election. “We’re not asking for regime change. We’re asking for respect of the will of the people,” she told The Washington Post. Machado has advocated for privatizing the nation’s oil sector and welcoming foreign investment.
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