US suspends all flights to Venezuela
The US Department of Transportation has suspended all flights between the US and Venezuela, citing increased unrest and violence around airports in the South American country.
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| Headquarters of the US Department of Transportation. Photo: Business journals |
“The situation in Venezuela threatens the safety and security of passengers, aircraft, and crew traveling to and from the country,” the letter from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the US Department of Transportation said on May 15.
Previously, many international airlines had suspended flights to Venezuela due to concerns about the unstable situation, as well as disputes over money that they said the Venezuelan government owed them.
Venezuela's Information Ministry has yet to comment on the issue, according to Reuters.
American Airlines Group Inc., once the largest carrier operating flights between the United States and Venezuela, suspended flights to Venezuela in March 2019. Then in April, the Federal Aviation Administration banned U.S. carriers from flying below 26,000 feet in Venezuelan airspace.
The administration of US President Donald Trump last week also expanded the scope of sanctions against Venezuela in the defense and security sectors, aiming to increase economic pressure on the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
The moves are part of a four-month-old US campaign against Venezuela's legitimate President Nicolas Maduro as Washington steps up measures in support of opposition leader Juan Guaido.
