U.S. warns civilian air traffic around Venezuela amid military tensions

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has warned operators of civilian aircraft to exercise caution when flying in and around Venezuelan airspace, amid a growing U.S. military buildup in the region.

In a security NOTAM issued on Saturday, the FAA required U.S. carriers to give 72 hours of prior notice to the agency before flying through Venezuela. The warning applies to the Maiquetia flight information region managed by Venezuela, according to Flightradar24.

“Operators are advised to exercise caution when operating in the Maiquetia flight information region (SVZM FIR) at all altitudes due to the worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela,” the FAA said.

“Threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight, the arrival and departure phases of flight, and/or airports and aircraft on the ground.”

The warning comes amid escalating war rhetoric between the Trump administration and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In recent weeks, the U.S. has mounted lethal military strikes on multiple vessels allegedly trafficking drugs off Latin America and sent USS Gerald R. Ford—the world’s largest aircraft carrier—to the Caribbean Sea.

Maduro has said that the Trump administration could use the military buildup to force him from power and warned that Venezuelans are “ready to defend their homeland against any criminal aggression.”

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