Venezuela bans six major airlines as tensions escalate

November 27, 2025

Venezuela has revoked landing rights for six major international airlines—Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca, and Turkish Airlines—after they suspended flights to Caracas and failed to resume operations within a 48-hour government deadline. The carriers had halted service following a US Federal Aviation Authority warning about heightened military activity near Venezuela, where the US has deployed 15,000 troops and an aircraft carrier in what it describes as an anti-drug trafficking operation. Venezuelan authorities accused the airlines of supporting American "state terrorism" and stripped them of operating rights immediately.

Who is affected

Six major international airlines: Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca, and Turkish Airlines
Thousands of passengers stranded or unable to travel to/from Venezuela
President Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan government
Venezuelan civil aviation authority and ministry of transport
Flight operators and aviation industry body Iata
More than 80 people killed in US military strikes on boats

What action is being taken

Venezuela's civil aviation authority is banning the six airlines from landing and taking off, effective immediately
The US is deploying 15,000 troops and the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier to waters off Venezuela
US forces are carrying out strikes on boats they claim are carrying drugs
President Maduro is driving around Caracas and posting videos showing the city
Both President Trump and President Maduro are signaling willingness to hold direct talks

Why it matters

This situation represents a significant escalation in the confrontation between Venezuela and the United States, with commercial aviation becoming collateral damage in a geopolitical standoff. The airline ban severely restricts international connectivity for Venezuela, isolating the country further and stranding thousands of travelers while smaller carriers struggle to fill the gap. The dispute underscores the broader conflict over Venezuela's contested government, with the US conducting its largest regional military deployment since the 1989 Panama invasion under the disputed justification of counter-narcotics operations. The inability of international industry bodies like Iata to mediate demonstrates how deeply politicized the situation has become, potentially setting a precedent for using commercial aviation as leverage in diplomatic disputes.

What's next

Both President Trump and President Maduro have signaled willingness to hold direct talks, with Trump stating he "might talk" to Maduro while also warning they can resolve things "the easy way" or "the hard way."

Read full article from source: BBC