The Federal Aviation Administration warned of a potentially hazardous situation for airlines flying in and out of Venezuela amid the rising tensions between the Trump administration and the Maduro regime.
In an advisory issued Friday, the civil aviation agency said there could be a “potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes” because of the “worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela.”
The FAA warning comes as the United States builds up its military presence in the Caribbean region and continues targeting vessels allegedly operated by whom the Trump administration labels “narcoterrorists.” At least 83 people have been killed in 21 strikes since early September.
In response to the travel advisory, at least seven international airlines have canceled their flights to Venezuela. The six carriers that indefinitely suspended flights were TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol, and Caribbean. Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines suspended its flights from Monday through Friday amid Thanksgiving holiday travel.
The FAA advisory will remain in effect until at least Feb. 19, 2026.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whom the U.S. has sanctioned for his inaction to counter the flow of narcotics in the South American country, called for the return of “normal flights” to and from Venezuela and the rest of Latin America.
“Countries are not blocked, because people are blocked and that must be a crime against humanity,” Petro said on X. “No state of one country should interfere in the affairs of another state. Multilateralism must transition to governance by global laws, global justice, and global regulation in everything that could end life on the planet, such as the climate or artificial intelligence, or essential medicines, global telecommunications.”
The U.S. has put increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as he stands in opposition to the expanded military presence near Venezuela. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier recently joined several American warplanes and destroyers, which have been spotted miles away from the coast of Venezuela at times.
Maduro is not seen as the legitimate leader of Venezuela by the Trump administration after his election last year. He has faced federal narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges in the U.S. since 2020.
Petro and Maduro join Democratic lawmakers in criticizing the Trump administration’s military deployments to the region. On Friday, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and four other House Democrats unveiled a bill to cut funding for U.S. operations targeting Venezuela. They called the lethal strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific regions part of Trump’s “unauthorized war” in Venezuela.
The U.S. designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles, an entity allegedly linked to Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization, effective Monday. The Venezuelan government said the action is meant to justify future U.S. military intervention.
The Trump administration is reportedly looking to expand its military operations against Venezuela, potentially including a strike on its soil. If carried out, such an attack would mark a dramatic escalation in tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.