The dictator of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, ordered on Saturday night a “special plan” for the return of citizens stranded in other countries due to the suspension of several flights, after the United States air authority warned of “extreme caution” when flying over Venezuelan territory and the southern Caribbean, reported Venezuelan Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez.
“President Nicolás Maduro ordered a special plan for the return of Venezuelans stranded in other countries, as well as to facilitate the exit routes of those who need to travel outside our territory,” Rodríguez said in a message published on Telegram, without offering further details.
Furthermore, she signaled that Venezuela has activated all multilateral mechanisms adjusted to international law for “the immediate cessation of this illegitimate and illicit action”.
“The US government responds to María Corina Machado’s request to try to block Venezuelan airspace,” added the vice president, referring to the opposition leader and winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, who currently lives in an unknown location.
United States President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that pilots and airlines consider Venezuelan airspace closed.
“To all airlines, pilots, drug traffickers and human traffickers: we ask that you consider that the airspace over Venezuela and its surroundings will remain completely closed. Thank you for your attention!”, says the president’s message published on the Truth Social platform, which does not clarify any circumstances related to the closure.
The Maduro government denounced “to the world”, in a statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that such statements by Trump “represent an explicit threat of the use of force”, which, according to him, is “clearly and unequivocally prohibited” by the United Nations Charter, and considered it to be an “attempt at intimidation”.
Trump published this message one day after The New York Times reported an alleged telephone conversation he had with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to explore a possible meeting, although this contact has not been officially confirmed or denied by either party.
On November 21, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommended “extreme caution” when flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean due to what it considers “a potentially dangerous situation” in the region, which led to a series of cancellations of flights that have Venezuela as their origin or destination.
This led several airlines, such as Iberia, Plus Ultra, Air Europa, Avianca and Turkish Airlines, to suspend their flights in the country.
The Chavista government gave a deadline of 48 hours for operations to be resumed and, when this did not happen, it revoked the traffic licenses of the companies Iberia, Turkish Airlines, Gol, Avianca, Tap and Latam Colombia. For now, Copa, Wingo, Boliviana de Aviación and Satena, as well as local companies Avior and Conviasa (state-owned) maintain their operations in the country.
SEE ALSO:
- Venezuela reacts to Trump’s airspace closure order: “Colonialist threat”
- Trump warns that Venezuelan airspace must be “completely closed”
