Why has Venezuela banned six international airlines amid US tensions?

Venezuela has revoked operating permits for six planetary airlines aft they suspended flights to the state pursuing a United States informing of airspace risk, successful the latest constituent of tension betwixt the 2 countries.

Last week, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned of a “potentially hazardous situation” successful Venezuelan airspace owed to a “worsening information concern and heightened subject activity”.

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While Caracas said the FAA had nary jurisdiction implicit its airspace, the determination led immoderate airlines to indefinitely suspend flights to the South American state from November 24 to 28, Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Airlines Association successful Venezuela, said.

The enactment comes amid worsening tensions betwixt the US and Venezuela implicit President Donald Trump’s conflict against what helium calls ‘narco-terrorism’ successful the Caribbean.

Since September, the US has carried retired astatine slightest 21 strikes connected vessels it accuses of trafficking drugs, sidesplitting astatine slightest 83 people. Venezuela has said the strikes magnitude to murder.

Which airlines has Venezuela banned and why?

On Wednesday night, Venezuela’s civilian aviation authorization announced that Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Colombia’s Avianca, Chile’s and Brazil’s LATAM, Brazil’s Gol and Turkish Airlines would person their permits revoked.

The authorization said the determination was taken against the carriers for joining “the actions of authorities coercion promoted by the United States government”.

Before the revocation, Venezuela’s authorities had issued a 48-hour deadline connected Monday for airlines to resume their cancelled flights oregon hazard losing their permits.

Airline bearer Iberia had said it plans to restart flights to Venezuela arsenic soon arsenic afloat information conditions are met.

At the aforesaid time, Avianca announced successful a connection connected Wednesday its volition to reschedule cancelled flights to the Venezuelan superior by December 5.

But Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel called the determination to revoke permits “disproportionate”.

“What we person to bash is, done our embassy, ​​make the Venezuelan authorities alert that this measurement is disproportionate, that we person nary volition of cancelling our routes to Venezuela, and that we lone did this for information reasons,” helium said.

What astir different airlines operating successful Venezuela?

Spain’s Air Europa and Plus Ultra person besides suspended flights to Venezuela, but their permits person not been revoked, with nary crushed fixed for the exemption.

Panama’s Copa and its low-cost airline, Wingo, are continuing to run to Venezuela. Domestic airlines, including the flag-carrier, Conviasa, flying from Venezuela to Colombia, Panama and Cuba are besides inactive successful operation.

What is down US-Venezuela tensions?

Since US President Donald Trump’s instrumentality to bureau successful January, tensions betwixt his medication and Venezuela’s authorities person ramped up.

The US has built up a ample subject beingness disconnected the seashore of Venezuela – its astir important subject deployment to the Caribbean successful decades – to combat what it claims is the trafficking of drugs.

The Trump medication has often claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is down the cause trade, without providing immoderate grounds to enactment this.

In August, the US authorities raised its reward for accusation starring to Maduro’s apprehension from $25m to $50m.

Maduro denies that helium is progressive successful the cause trade.

This week, the US designated the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns) a overseas “terrorist” organisation. It besides claims the radical is headed by Maduro and a elder fig successful his government.

Venezuela’s overseas ministry said it “categorically, firmly and perfectly rejected” the designation, describing it arsenic a “new and ridiculous lie”.

Moreover, the US has agelong rejected Maduro’s government, calling his predetermination triumph past twelvemonth “rigged”. In November 2024, the US recognised Venezuela’s absorption leader, Edmundo Gonzalez, arsenic the country’s rightful president.

The Venezuelan authorities has suggested that the cause cognition successful the Caribbean and eastbound Pacific is simply a screen for the US’s existent purpose of deposing Maduro from authorities – thing some observers besides believe.

Since September, the US has conducted astatine slightest 21 strikes connected Venezuelan vessels successful the Caribbean and eastbound Pacific, claiming they are cause boats. More than 80 radical person been killed, but the Trump medication has provided nary grounds for its claims.

Last month, the US subject conducted bomber flights up to the seashore of Venezuela arsenic portion of a grooming workout to simulate an attack, and sent the world’s largest craft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford, into the region.

However, successful caller days, Trump has shown a willingness to clasp nonstop talks.

On Wednesday, Trump told reporters connected committee his statesmanlike plane, Air Force One, that helium “might talk” to Maduro but warned “we tin bash things the casual way, that’s fine, and if we person to bash it the hard way, that’s fine, too”.

(Al Jazeera)

What has Trump said astir anti-drug onshore operations successful Venezuela?

On Thursday, Trump warned that onshore operations to combat cause trafficking by onshore could statesman “very soon”.

“You astir apt noticed that radical aren’t wanting to beryllium delivering by sea, and we’ll beryllium starting to halt them by onshore also,” Trump said successful remarks to troops stationed astir the globe to people the US holiday, Thanksgiving.

“The onshore is easier, but that’s going to commencement precise soon.”

“We warned them to halt sending poison to our country,” helium added.