VENEZUELA – The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned major airlines of potential dangers when flying in Venezuelan airspace due to “heightened military activity” amid a major build-up of US forces in the region.
The FAA’s NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) warning issued on Friday cites the “worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela”, and said the situation could pose risks for aircraft, though it stopped short of prohibiting flights over the country. The aviation regulator urged aircraft flying in the area to “exercise caution” due to the threats “at all altitudes, including during overflight, the arrival and departure phases of flight, and/or airports and aircraft on the ground”.
In a background information document, the FAA said that since September, there has been an increase in global navigation satellite system interference in Venezuelan airspace, which in some cases has caused “lingering effects throughout a flight”, amid “activity associated with increasing Venezuela military readiness“. Since September, the FAA added, “Venezuela has conducted multiple military exercises and directed the mass mobilisation of thousands of military and reserve forces”, while also noting that “Venezuela has at no point expressed an intent to target civil aviation”.
“The FAA will continue to monitor the risk environment for US civil aviation operating in the region and make adjustments, as appropriate”, it added. Direct flights by US passenger or cargo carriers to Venezuela were suspended in 2019 but some US airlines fly over the country en route to other South American destinations, the Reuters news agency reports. American Airlines said on Friday that it stopped overflying Venezuela in October. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The airspace warning comes as Washington deployed its most advanced aircraft carrier strike group, navy warships with thousands of troops, as well as F-35 stealth aircraft to the region amid what it claims is a military operation against Latin American drug trafficking cartels. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has warned that Washington may use the military build-up to attempt to remove him from power as the Trump administration increases its rhetoric against Caracas, including accusing Maduro of drug trafficking. (Aljazeera)
