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In a swift response to the U.S. government’s recent military actions in Venezuela, major airlines across the United States have grounded numerous flights to Caribbean destinations, including Puerto Rico.
This decision followed the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) imposition of flight restrictions across the region. These restrictions were prompted by a U.S. military operation targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
American Airlines addressed the situation in a statement, noting, “We are aware of the FAA’s airspace closures in the Eastern Caribbean issued overnight and are closely monitoring developments alongside the agency. Adjustments to our schedule will be made as needed, always prioritizing the safety and security of our customers and team members.”
Other airlines, such as Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, echoed this sentiment with their own public communications.
“In alignment with FAA directives, Delta began canceling flights early Saturday morning,” the company stated. “Affected customers are being notified of changes through the Fly Delta app and the contact details provided in their reservations.”
Southwest said its trips to Aruba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico were canceled or will be diverted. The airline offered passengers the ability to alter their travel plans or may be eligible to collect a refund.
JetBlue canceled more than 200 flights due to the airspace closures. The airline noted that its flights to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica were not affected.
The Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados issued its own memo sharing that it would remain open.
It is unclear how long the restrictions will last.
Trump, in a phone interview with The New York Times early Saturday, touted the military operation as “brilliant.” He also told Fox News later in the morning that two U.S. troops were injured in the operation, but no deaths were reported.
“I think we had nobody killed, I have to say because a couple of guys were hit. But they came back and they’re supposed to be in pretty good shape,” the president said. “We lost no aircraft. Everything came back, we got it all back.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi outlined the charges Maduro faces in a post online, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machineguns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices against the United States. The Venezuelan leader was first indicted in 2020.
The move has garnered praise from some Republicans and strong pushback from Democrats. Venezuelan-ally Russia has also condemned the move.