Venezuela has banned six international airlines, accusing them of “state terrorism” after suspending flights to the country following a warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Venezuela’s civil aviation authority announced late Wednesday that Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Colombia’s Avianca, Chile and Brazil’s Latam, Brazil’s Gol and Turkish Airlines would have their operating permits revoked for “engaging in acts of state terrorism promoted by the United States government and unilaterally suspending air commercial operations.”
Last week, the FAA warned airlines of a “potentially hazardous situation” when flying over Venezuela due to the “deteriorating security situation and increasing military activity in or around the country.”
Caracas said the FAA has no jurisdiction over its airspace.
Paulo Rangel, the Portuguese foreign affairs minister, on Thursday described Venezuela’s decision to revoke the airlines’ operating rights as “completely disproportionate”. He said that while Portugal, where the airline is headquartered, had tried to persuade Venezuelan authorities to restore operating rights through its embassy in Caracas, Portugal “had no intention of canceling our routes to Venezuela, and obviously, we only did so for security reasons”.
The US has launched its largest military deployment in decades to the Caribbean region amid deteriorating relations with Venezuela over claims that President Nicolas Maduro has a role in the supply of illegal drugs that has killed Americans.
Maduro has denied the allegations and said Donald Trump was trying to remove him from office.
In a statement on Monday, the International Air Transport Association said Venezuelan authorities have given international airlines a 48-hour deadline to resume flights, otherwise they risk losing their rights to fly to the country.
Several international airlines ignored the deadline and canceled flights to Venezuela in recent days. Iberia said it wanted to resume flights to Venezuela as soon as all safety conditions were met.
Avianca announced its intention to reschedule the canceled flights to Caracas for December 5 in a statement on Wednesday. The company declined to comment on the sanctions imposed by Venezuela.
Air Europa and Plus Ultra had flights suspended but their permits were not cancelled.
International airline Copa and its low-cost Wingo unit continue to operate in Venezuela, and domestic airlines flying to Colombia, Panama and Curaçao are still in operation.
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