U.S. airlines halt Venezuela flights amid security warnings and rising tensions
By bellecarter // 2025-11-24
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  • Venezuela deployed 15,000 troops, drones and naval assets to its Colombian border amid U.S. accusations of state-sponsored drug trafficking. The Trump administration labeled Venezuela’s alleged "Cartel de los Soles" a terrorist organization and doubled the bounty on Maduro’s capture.
  • Major airlines (TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol, Caribbean) halted flights to Venezuela after the FAA warned of "worsening security" and "heightened military activity", citing threats to aircraft at all altitudes. Colombian President Petro condemned the disruptions as "a crime against humanity."
  • The U.S. escalated military pressure with bomber flight simulations, the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group and lethal strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats (80+ fatalities since September).
  • The U.S. claims Maduro leads a "narco-terror cartel," though experts dispute the existence of a structured "Cartel de los Soles." The term originated from the 1990s CIA-linked Venezuelan military drug trafficking, now broadly applied to officials profiting from narcotics.
  • Decades-long tensions worsened under Maduro, with U.S. sanctions, asset freezes and support for opposition leader Juan Guaidó. Venezuela's internal collapse—hyperinflation, crime, passport shortages—fuels instability as the U.S. weighs further economic, psychological (leaflet drops) or military action.
As military posturing escalates and drug trafficking allegations intensify, Venezuela faces deepening isolation while the U.S. weighs its next move. Several major airlines have suspended flights to Venezuela following a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory warning of a "worsening security situation" and "heightened military activity" in the region. The FAA cautioned pilots on Friday, Nov. 21, that unspecified threats could endanger aircraft "at all altitudes," including during takeoff and landing. At least six carriers—TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol and Caribbean—have indefinitely halted flights to Venezuela, while Turkish Airlines paused operations temporarily. Marisela de Loaiza, president of Venezuela's Airlines Association, confirmed the cancellations to the Associated Press. Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticized the disruptions, stating on X (formerly Twitter): "Countries are not blocked, because blocking countries means blocking people, and that is a crime against humanity." The FAA's warning coincides with a broader U.S. military buildup near Venezuela, including bomber flights simulating attacks and the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group—the largest U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean in decades. The Trump administration has also intensified its campaign against alleged drug trafficking, conducting strikes on small boats accused of smuggling narcotics, resulting in over 80 fatalities since September.

U.S. designates alleged "Cartel of the Suns" as terrorist group

The Trump administration has escalated pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by labeling the so-called "Cartel de los Soles" (Cartel of the Suns) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation, set to take effect Monday, Nov. 24, claiming Maduro leads the group—a claim disputed by experts who argue no such structured cartel exists. The term originated in the 1990s, referring to Venezuelan military officers involved in drug trafficking, some of whom reportedly collaborated with the CIA. Today, U.S. officials loosely apply it to Venezuelan officials allegedly profiting from narcotics. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated the FTO designation provides the Pentagon with "options" to target Maduro's government. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced the administration's stance, calling Venezuela's government a "narco-terror cartel" and reiterating that Maduro is "not a legitimate president; he is a fugitive head of this cartel who has been indicted in the United States for trafficking drugs into this country."

Historical context: A long-standing confrontation

Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela stretch back decades, intensifying under Maduro's socialist government. The Trump administration has repeatedly sought Maduro's ouster, recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate president in 2019. The U.S. has imposed crippling sanctions, frozen Venezuelan assets and offered a $15 million bounty for Maduro's arrest on drug trafficking charges, BrightU.AI's Enoch notes. Meanwhile, Venezuela faces internal crises—rampant crime, hyperinflation and shortages of basic goods, including passport materials, fueling black market counterfeit documents. The State Department's July travel advisory warned U.S. citizens against visiting due to risks of murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. With airlines withdrawing and military tensions rising, Venezuela's isolation deepens as the U.S. weighs further action. Whether through economic pressure, psychological operations—like proposed leaflet drops—or military maneuvers, the Trump administration appears determined to force Maduro's exit. Yet, with no signs of capitulation from Caracas, the standoff risks further destabilizing a region already grappling with crime, migration and geopolitical strife. Watch the video below where Trump announced possible talks with Maduro. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

AntiWar.com ABCNews.go.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
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