Venezuela has banned six international airlines, including carriers from Spain and Turkey, following a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory warning of “worsening security situation and heightened military activity in and around Venezuela,” including GPS interference and the deployment of air-defence systems. Several carriers suspended flights in response, triggering Venezuela’s National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) to revoke their operating permits, a decisive step in asserting control over Venezuela airspace.
Airspace Control as a Strategic Tool
On November 21, 2025, the U.S. FAA issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) warning of a “potentially hazardous situation” in Venezuelan airspace, citing increased military readiness, GPS interference, and U.S. deployments in the Caribbean targeting alleged drug trafficking. In response, several international carriers including Iberia, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Avianca, LATAM, and Gol temporarily suspended flights to Caracas (more details here).
Venezuela’s National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) responded by issuing a 48-hour ultimatum for the carriers to resume service. When the deadline passed without the airlines complying, INAC revoked their operating rights. Venezuela’s government accused the airlines of joining “actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States”
President Nicolás Maduro framed the Venezuela aviation ban as a demonstration of sovereignty. In a televised address, he declared Venezuela “invincible,” signalling to both domestic and international audiences that foreign carriers would not dictate operations within Venezuelan airspace. The government’s measures reflect how aviation is used as political leverage in ongoing negotiations with the U.S.
The move follows other actions in 2025, including public references to a “prolonged resistance” strategy. By grounding airlines and controlling flight routes, Venezuela ensures that Venezuela airline restrictions 2025 directly influence international mobility while amplifying its political stance.
Venezuela-US mounting Tensions
The airline ban comes amid growing U.S.-Venezuela tensions. The U.S. has increased its military presence in the Caribbean, assembling its largest military presence in the Caribbean since the 1989 invasion of Panama. This build-up, part of “Operation Southern Spear,” began in August 2025 with the deployment of the USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, and was bolstered in November by the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group.
Sanctions and legal measures remain in place: U.S. indictments of senior Venezuelan officials, including Maduro, and a $50 million bounty on the president, continue to escalate pressures. These actions prompted the FAA advisory, which in turn sparked the Venezuela aviation ban and broader Venezuela airline restrictions 2025.
Aviation at the Center of the Standoff
After major international airlines voluntarily suspended flights to Venezuela following a U.S. safety warning, Venezuela retaliated by revoking their operating permits, demonstrating how aviation is used as a tool of political leverage. The decisions highlight the key strategic power commercial aviation can have in international diplomacy: controlling flight operations can send messages and enforce pressure without deploying hard military power.
For now, several international routes to Caracas remain suspended, with no timeline for reinstatement. While both the U.S. and Venezuela have indicated willingness to maintain dialogue, the Venezuela aviation ban shows how geopolitical tensions continue to spill into global airspace, intersecting with diplomacy, security, and state strategy.
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