CARACAS, VENEZUELA—In a dramatic escalation of geopolitical tensions between Caracas and Washington, Venezuela’s government has revoked the operating permits of six major international airlines, effectively banning them from landing in the country. The move came after the carriers refused to comply with a 48-hour ultimatum to resume services that were suspended following a severe security warning from the United States.
The Venezuelan civil aviation authority, acting under the Ministry of Transport, announced on Wednesday that Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca, and Turkish Airlines would immediately lose their landing and take-off rights. This unprecedented action marks a significant setback for Venezuela’s international connectivity and has left thousands of passengers stranded and facing massive travel disruptions.
The Ultimatum and the US Warning
The crisis stems from a safety advisory issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last Friday. Citing the "worsening security situation and heightened military activity in and around Venezuela," the FAA urged flight operators to "exercise caution... at all altitudes" when operating within the MaiquetÃa Flight Information Region (FIR), which includes the international airport serving Caracas.
In the wake of this stark warning, the six major carriers temporarily suspended their routes to the Venezuelan capital. The government of President Nicolás Maduro, viewing the flight suspensions as a hostile act and a challenge to its national sovereignty, issued an ultimatum on Monday requiring the airlines to resume operations within 48 hours.
Upon the deadline's expiry on Wednesday, the aviation authority followed through on its threat, accusing the airlines of "joining the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government and unilaterally suspending air commercial operations." This swift punitive action suggests the Maduro regime views the temporary halt in service not as a commercial decision based on safety, but as a political alignment with the U.S. pressure campaign.
US Military Buildup Fuels Regime Change Fears
The FAA's advisory, and consequently the airlines’ decisions, are directly linked to the massive deployment of U.S. military forces to waters off the coast of Venezuela. Washington asserts that the deployment—which involves an estimated 15,000 troops and the world's most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford—is part of a large-scale, intensified counter-narcotics mission aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks allegedly connected to the Maduro government.
The scale of this operation, codenamed Operation Southern Spear and placing U.S. forces within striking distance of the country, is the largest U.S. military presence in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama.
Lethal Strikes: U.S. forces have reportedly carried out at least 21 strikes on vessels they claim were carrying drugs, resulting in over 80 fatalities. Critics, however, have noted the unusual size of the deployment for a counter-narcotics operation and point out that U.S. authorities have not provided public evidence that the targeted boats were carrying illegal narcotics.
Venezuelan Accusation: For Caracas, the official anti-drug trafficking narrative is merely a pretext. The Venezuelan government vehemently believes the true aim of the operation is to depose President Nicolás Maduro, whose controversial re-election last year was widely denounced as fraudulent by the opposition and many foreign nations.
Diplomatic Impasse and Travel Chaos
Attempts by aviation industry bodies, such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), to mediate the situation by stressing their members' willingness to restore operations once safety conditions were confirmed failed to sway the Venezuelan government. The ban, particularly of major European and Latin American carriers, severely limits the country's air connectivity, leaving only a handful of smaller airlines, such as Copa, Wingo, and local carriers, maintaining their routes.
Amidst the escalating tensions, a peculiar diplomatic sub-plot has emerged. Both President Maduro and U.S. President Donald Trump have recently signaled a willingness to hold direct talks. When questioned aboard Air Force One, President Trump stated he "might talk" to Maduro, though he paired the remark with a stern warning: "we can do things the easy way, that's fine, and if we have to do it the hard way, that's fine, too."
Meanwhile, President Maduro sought to project an image of calm resilience, uploading a video of himself driving around Caracas and highlighting local Christmas decorations in what appeared to be an effort to demonstrate that daily life in the capital remains unaffected despite the massive military and political pressures mounting on his government.
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