Airlines such as Iberia and TAP had suspended flights to Venezuela following warnings of “increased military activity” in the region.
Venezuela has revoked the operating privileges of six foreign airlines that suspended flights to the South American country amid rising tensions with the United States.
But on Thursday, foreign officials and airline representatives denounced the decision as a “disproportionate” response.
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A day earlier, Venezuela’s civil aviation authority announced it had revoked the licenses of air travel companies including Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Colombia’s Avianca, Brazil’s GOL, Turkish Airlines, and LATAM, headquartered in Chile and Brazil.
The airline accused the airline of participating in “acts of state terrorism promoted by the United States.”
The Venezuelan government has been on edge in recent months amid speculation of a possible attack by the U.S. military.
Last week, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines of a “potentially dangerous situation” in Venezuelan airspace due to a “deteriorating security situation and increased military activity.” As a result, some airlines have had to cancel flights.
But on Thursday, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel and other officials criticized Venezuela’s response to the cancellation.
Rangel said the country’s embassy would contact the Venezuelan government to stress that flights were only temporarily suspended due to safety concerns.
“What we have to do is to make the Venezuelan authorities, through our embassy, aware that this measure is disproportionate, that we do not intend to cancel flights to Venezuela, and that we have done so only for security reasons.”
Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have reached their highest point since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House for a second term.
The Trump administration has overseen a massive military buildup in the Caribbean region, designed to combat illegal drug trafficking.
But Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro responded with his own military preparations, decrying the U.S. troop move as a precursor to an attack aimed at destabilizing the government.
The US government has long opposed Mr Maduro, citing his record of human rights abuses, and recently recognized Venezuela’s opposition party as the rightful winner of the 2024 presidential election, despite Mr Maduro’s claims.
Since September, the United States has carried out at least 21 deadly airstrikes against boats and other vessels it accuses of transporting drugs. An estimated 83 people died.
The Trump administration claimed, without evidence, that some of those killed had ties to Venezuelan criminal organizations. International rights officials and legal scholars consider these strikes to be extrajudicial killings in violation of international law.
Flights were abruptly canceled over concerns of military action after the United States warned airlines last week of Venezuela’s security risks.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Monday that Venezuelan authorities have given airlines 48 hours to resume flights to the country or face suspension of their operating privileges.
“Keep the planes, and we will maintain our dignity,” Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said in response to the cancellation.
AFP news agency quoted an anonymous source at Iberia as saying the airline wanted to resume operations “as soon as full safety conditions are met.”
However, the official added that Iberia cannot operate in high-risk areas.
