Venezuela Airspace Shut Down: Airlines Cancel Flights Amid FAA Security Warnings

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In a drastic measure, international airlines have begun cancelling flights to Venezuela following a stern warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on worsening security and heightened military activity in the country's airspace. Six major carriers - T, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol, and Caribbean - have indefinitely suspended their services, while Turkish Airlines has halted flights from November 24 to 28. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, however, remains under pressure from the US, with the Trump administration ramping up its military presence in the region. The FAA issued a warning to pilots on Friday, cautioning that unspecified threats could pose a risk to aircraft at all altitudes, including those taking off and landing, as well as planes on the ground. This move comes amidst a series of US military actions in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean aimed at disrupting drug trafficking. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has expressed his opposition to the US stance, stating that blocking countries is equivalent to blocking people, which he termed a 'crime against humanity'. As tensions escalate, the situation in Venezuela continues to deteriorate, with the US military conducting bomber flights near the country's coast and deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the region.