Venezuela has revoked landing rights for six major international airlines after they failed to comply with a 48-hour ultimatum to resume flights to Caracas, deepening a crisis that has already stranded thousands of passengers.
Iberia, TAP Air Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca and Turkish Airlines were all banned on Wednesday, following their decisions to halt flights in response to a U.S. aviation alert citing “heightened military activity” in and around Venezuela.
The Venezuelan civil aviation authority accused the airlines of “joining the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government” by suspending their services. Several smaller carriers continue to operate limited flights to the country.
The dispute comes amid a massive U.S. military deployment near Venezuela, including 15,000 troops and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford—the largest American presence in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama. Although Washington claims the operation targets drug trafficking, Venezuela has denounced it as a cover for an effort to topple President Nicolás Maduro.
U.S. forces have conducted at least 21 strikes on vessels they say were transporting narcotics, killing more than 80 people, though they have yet to provide evidence backing the drug-trafficking claims.
Following the FAA’s security warning to operators at Caracas’ Maiquetía Airport last week, airlines began suspending flights—moves that triggered Caracas’ retaliatory ban. Efforts by IATA to mediate were unsuccessful.
Despite the tensions, both Maduro and U.S. President Donald Trump have indicated openness to potential direct talks. Trump said he “might talk” to Maduro, while warning that Washington was prepared to act “the easy way” or “the hard way.” Maduro, meanwhile, sought to project calm by posting a video of himself touring Caracas as holiday decorations lit the streets.
Thousands of passengers are now facing disrupted travel plans, with further impacts expected as the standoff continues.
[…] announcement follows a turbulent week for international aviation in the region. As previously reported by Aviation24.be, Venezuela revoked landing rights for six major airlines—Iberia, TAP Air […]
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