Venezuela has revoked the operating rights of six major international airlines, accusing them of participating in what it calls acts of state terrorism after they suspended flights to Caracas in response to a safety warning issued by the United States.
The country’s civil aviation authority announced late on Wednesday that Iberia, TAP Portugal, Avianca, Latam, Gol, and Turkish Airlines would no longer be permitted to operate in Venezuela. The authority, which reports to the Ministry of Transport, said the carriers had joined actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government by unilaterally suspending commercial air operations.
The dispute escalated after the US Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning last week, urging airlines to exercise caution in Venezuelan airspace due to a worsening security situation and heightened military activity in and around the country. Caracas has rejected the FAA’s intervention, insisting that the United States has no jurisdiction over Venezuelan airspace.
The bans have left thousands of passengers affected and significantly reduced international connectivity to the Venezuelan capital. While some smaller airlines continue to operate, many major carriers have cancelled services in recent days despite a forty-eight-hour ultimatum from Venezuelan authorities to resume flights or risk losing their permits.
The Portuguese foreign affairs minister, Paulo Rangel, described Venezuela’s move as totally disproportionate. He confirmed that Lisbon had attempted through its embassy in Caracas to persuade Venezuelan officials to reverse the decision, stressing that Portugal has no intention of cancelling its routes permanently and had halted flights only for security reasons.
The clash comes amid the largest United States military deployment to the Caribbean in decades. Washington has stationed fifteen thousand troops and the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group near Venezuelan waters in what it describes as an intensified operation against drug trafficking. US forces have carried out at least twenty-one strikes on boats they claim were transporting illegal drugs, resulting in more than eighty deaths. Analysts have noted that the scale of the deployment is unusual for a counter-narcotics mission.
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Venezuela has followed through with its threat and revoked access to the country for 6 airlines – Iberia, TAP Portugal, avianca, Latam, Turkish Airlines and GOL Airlines. The airlines suspended flights due to a NOTAM issued by the FAA citing security concerns. #Avgeek pic.twitter.com/siQbAtKod1
— Brent Pinheiro (@brentito86) November 27, 2025
President Nicolás Maduro has accused the United States of using drug trafficking claims as a pretext to remove him from power. His re-election last year was dismissed as illegitimate by the Venezuelan opposition and multiple foreign governments. Former US president Donald Trump has echoed calls for a tougher approach to Caracas, although both leaders have in recent days signalled possible openness to direct talks.
The International Air Transport Association said on Monday that Venezuelan authorities had issued airlines a forty-eight-hour deadline to resume operations or face losing their rights to fly to the country. Several carriers chose instead to cancel services until safety conditions improve. Iberia said it hopes to restart flights to Caracas once full security can be guaranteed, while Avianca has announced plans to resume flights on 5 December but declined to comment on the restrictions.
IATA urges the Venezuelan government to reconsider its decision to revoke operating permits from certain airlines after they temporarily suspended flights to and from Venezuela following the issuance of air safety alerts by both Spain and the US.
More: https://t.co/n2CjdXxBqx pic.twitter.com/TA4hSL6DYN
— IATA (@IATA) November 27, 2025
Other airlines, including Air Europa and Plus Ultra, had already suspended flights but did not see their permits revoked. Copa Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary Wingo continue to operate in the country, alongside domestic carriers flying to destinations such as Colombia, Panama, and Curaçao.
As diplomatic pressure intensifies and travel disruptions spread, the standoff highlights the growing instability surrounding Venezuela’s airspace and the deepening geopolitical rift with the United States.