Venezuela bans six major airlines as Standoff with US deepens
Venezuela has barred six major international airlines from landing in the country after they missed a 48-hour deadline to resume flights to Caracas, escalating tensions triggered by growing US military activity near Venezuelan waters. Thousands of passengers have already been affected, and more disruptions are expected.
Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca and Turkish Airlines lost their landing rights on Wednesday after temporarily suspending flights following a US warning about “heightened military activity” around Maiquetía airport. Venezuela’s civil aviation authority accused the carriers of siding with Washington and participating in “actions of state terrorism” by halting operations, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
The bans come amid the largest US military deployment in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama. The United States has moved 15,000 troops and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford close to Venezuela, claiming it is targeting drug trafficking. US forces say they have struck more than 20 boats and killed over 80 people, though they have not provided evidence that the vessels carried narcotics. Venezuelan officials insist the real aim is to topple President Nicolás Maduro, whose re-election last year was widely denounced as fraudulent.
The FAA’s security alert to airlines last week prompted the suspended flights, and an attempt by the global aviation body IATA to calm tensions failed to shift the Venezuelan government’s stance. Despite the escalating standoff, both Maduro and US President Donald Trump have separately hinted they may be open to direct talks.
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