In recent days, Venezuelan airspace has become increasingly empty until it becomes a sky without planes. U.S. restrictions on flights circling the country have left Venezuela virtually off the grid. The connection to Europe is practically closed and the routes that are still in operation only reach a few places. Until this weekend, Bogota and Panama were some of those places. Experts warn against this This virtual “closure of the skies” has already left thousands of passengers stranded and many more will be affected by the arrival of the Christmas season.
Although the Chavista government’s rhetoric denies this, the result is exactly that Caracas has remained almost without international flights As we approach the end of the year, this is no small statistic for a country that has seen nearly eight million emigrants in the last decade, making December a time for family reunions. Added to this is the situation of Venezuelans stranded in various places who have not been able to return to the country in the last two weeks.
The current aviation connectivity crisis began in mid-November when the US Federal Aviation Administration warned airlines about it They took “precautions” when flying over Venezuela after the Pentagon’s massive naval operation in the Caribbean, led by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, the largest in the world. Washington accuses Caracas of facilitating the importation of illegal drugs into the United States and points to President Nicolás Maduro as the head of the alleged Sun Cartel. Miraflores denies these allegations and accuses the White House of seeking to overthrow the government.
As a result of the US warning, eight international airlines – including Avianca, Iberia, Turkish Airlines, LATAM and TAP – immediately suspended flight operations, leaving tens of thousands stranded. The Caracas autocracy responded by revoking the licenses of six of them and accusing them of “state terrorism,” escalating tensions. The turning point came with President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would completely close the airspace “over and around” Venezuelain effect since last weekend, exacerbating isolation.
The trading companies claimed there were no conditions to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. Companies such as Spain’s Iberia decided to pause their presence in Venezuela until next year, and LATAM announced that its operations in Caracas would be closed until further notice.
The situation has led to the fact that currently from Maiquetía International Airport, the main airport in Venezuela, 40 kilometers from Caracas, You can fly to very few international destinations: Colombia, Panama, Curaçao and Russia. The decline in connectivity that had characterized the South American country worsened radically.
The entry and exit options are almost exclusively limited to regional connections to Colombia (via smaller airlines such as Wingo or Satena), Panama (with Copa daily operations) and Curacao. Outside the hemisphere, the only remaining area of operation is the direct route to Russia, operated by the state-owned Conviasa.
Although there are no exact figures on how many people have been affected, it is estimated that thousands of Venezuelans who have been prevented from leaving or returning in other cases are living in uncertainty following the gradual suspension of flights. The regime tries to deny the crisis, even when Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, the autocracy’s number two, visits the airport. But statements from those affected are increasing on social networks. especially family members who had planned a reunion a few weeks before Christmas.
“My son in Canada bought my tickets six months ago so that I could be with him, his wife and my grandchildren in December. My flight via Bogota with Avianca was scheduled to depart on Monday the 24th,” an elderly woman, who preferred to leave her name omitted, told ANSA.
“I saved all year and managed to arrange everything with my superiors in Madrid to spend a few weeks in Venezuela, especially with my grandmother, who is very old. I can’t get over my arrechera (anger in Venezuelan slang). because I’m still in Madrid and have to go back to work in a few days,” says a young journalist from the same agency from the Spanish capital.
Evidence of this kind has abounded since the few international airlines that fly to Caracas have had their flights suspended in a cascade. According to the industry’s main global organization, IATA, When it comes to connectivity in Latin America, Venezuela is at the bottom.
The San Antonio del Táchira airport on the border with Colombia, which remained closed for 11 years, is once again experiencing a period of high demand, amid the virtual blockade of Maiquetía, which serves Caracas. Located more than 800 kilometers from the Venezuelan capital’s airport, just 11 kilometers from Cúcuta on the Colombian side, the small Táchira airfield is now the main connecting option for international flights for travelers stranded in the last week.
It is estimated that amid the crisis that has erupted since November 22nd Around 5,000 passengers have spoken out in favor of the possibility of a domestic flightArrival in San Antonio and transfer by land to Cúcuta airport.
The Estelar airline announced the doubling of its flight frequencies between Maiquetía and Táchira from four to eight per week from December 8 to mid-January 2026, essentially to accommodate the Christmas period. Other airlines confirmed to local newspaper La Nación that their flights to both Maiquetía and Maiquetía were fully bookedas well as for other cities such as Barquisimeto and Valencia.
The air collapse has become one of the most visible parts of the pressure strategy that Washington has on the Chavista regime. Only flights carrying deported Venezuelans arrive from the United States, which Venezuela says it has requested to be readmitted amid the crisis.
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