The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States issued a notice this Friday urging commercial flights to “exercise caution” when flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean in the face of what it considers “a potentially dangerous situation in the region,” a notice that coincides with the large Washington’s military deployment in the area to pressure the government of Nicolás Maduro.
The FAA issued a communication in which it warned “of a potentially dangerous situation in the Maiquetía flight information region,” which corresponds to the airspace controlled by Venezuela, which also includes part of the southern and eastern Caribbean.
“Operators are advised to exercise extreme caution when operating in the Maiquetía flight information region at all altitudes due to the deteriorating security situation and increased military activity in or around Venezuela,” the text explains.
“The threats could represent a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes, including during the overflight, arrival and departure phases of the flight,” adds the letter, which considers that the risk also affects airports and aircraft on the ground in the region.
The US military deployment in the Caribbean
The advisory issued by the FAA comes after it arrived in the southern Caribbean last week USS Gerald Fordthe largest and most advanced US aircraft carrier, to join the large military deployment that the Pentagon has maintained in the region since August.
Washington maintains that the contingent seeks to combat drug trafficking and assures that the Maduro government, whom it considers the illegitimate president of Venezuela, is an integral part of drug trafficking in the region.
During this operation, the United States has destroyed nearly twenty boats apparently loaded with drugs in both the Caribbean and the Pacific, causing the death of at least 83 of their occupants.
