Venezuela’s government made good on its threat and on Wednesday canceled the flight privileges of several international airlines, including Spain’s Iberia, accusing them of “joining terrorist acts” promoted by the United States, increasing pressure on the Caribbean region as it maintains its unprecedented military presence.
Hours after the deadline given by Venezuelan authorities to airlines, which expired at 16:00 GMT (noon local time), the Ministry of Transport and the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC) announced their decision, which affects Iberia, TAP, Avianca, LATAM Colombia, Turkish Airlines and GOL.
These companies had canceled their flights to and from Caracas after the US Federal Aviation Administration last Friday urged commercial airlines to “exercise caution” when flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean in the face of what it considers “a potentially dangerous situation in the region.”
The full extent of this cancellation, which would isolate Venezuela and limit its air connectivity at a crucial time for transportation such as Christmas, remains to be seen. Shortly before the announcement, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello noted that the country’s government “decides who travels and who does not” and “reserves the right to accept.”
“The national government, in a sovereign decision, said to the companies (airlines): If you do not resume your flights within 48 hours, do not resume them again. You keep your planes and we keep our dignity and that’s it, there is no problem,” Chavismo’s second man said.
Currently, Copa, Wingo, Boliviana de Aviación and Satena, as well as local companies Avior and Conviasa (state-owned), maintain operations in the country.
In this context, an American plane carrying 175 deported migrants landed at noon at Venezuela’s main airport, Simón Bolívar International Airport, which serves Caracas, which demonstrates, according to what a source from the Ministry of Transport told EFE, that “there is no danger in Venezuelan airspace” and, moreover, evidence of “double-speak” on the part of Washington.
Later, the Venezuelan government confirmed that the United States had requested “special permits” to operate “repatriation routes with American aircraft.”
Movement in the Caribbean
Meanwhile, the US Air Force revealed on Wednesday that B-52H bomber aircraft conducted attack demonstrations this week in the Caribbean.
The authorities did not specify the location of these demonstrations, which they included as part of the military operation “Southern Spears,” which was announced on November 14 to combat drug smuggling coming from Latin America, three months after the start of military deployment in the region.
Also on Wednesday, Dominican President Luis Abinader and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the United States would “temporarily” use two Dominican airports as part of its fight against drug trafficking through Lanza del Sur.
Abi Nader, in the presence of Hegseth, said that the Americas International Airport and the San Isidro Military Airport, both in Santo Domingo province, will allocate areas for the transportation of American equipment and technical personnel.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, confirmed on Wednesday that the White House had not asked her country to be a “base for any war against Venezuela,” a day after the visit of US Chief of Staff Dan Kaine, and rejected speculation that North American military activity in the island nation was linked to tensions with Caracas.
Venezuela’s Executive Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, said on Wednesday that “the path is not to send ships” or threaten her country “militarily.”
Hours later, Cabello announced, starting Thursday, the stage of organizing in societies “regardless of the circumstances,” without specifying what this organization means, and he spoke of defending the country in moments of tension due to the American military mobilization.
Furthermore, he considered it “imperial folly” for the Dominican Republic to allow the United States to use two airports in Santo Domingo as part of the war against drug trafficking.
For his part, Attorney General Tarek William Saab said that the direct talks between President Nicolas Maduro and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, are welcome, who said that his contacts with the Chavista leader are “to save many lives.”