He Government of Nicolás Maduro authorized the resumption of repatriation flights for Venezuelan migrants operated by the American company Eastern Airlines, after receiving a request from the Donald Trump AdministrationThe Venezuelan Ministry of Transportation reported this Tuesday.
In a statement published on Instagram, the State Ministry reported that the authorization was given “on instructions” from President Maduro and that it applies to flights that cover the route from Phoenix, Arizona (USA), to the Maiquetía international airport, which serves Caracas.
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Consequently, he indicated, the flights are authorized to enter Venezuelan airspace “as has been happening on a weekly basis on Wednesdays and Fridays,” since both Governments agreed to the repatriation of migrants in January of this year.
On Saturday, Venezuela had stated that The United States “unilaterally suspendedthe flights of Venezuelan migrants”, after Trump warned that the airspace of the South American country should be considered “completely closed”, a message that Caracas repudiated “with absolute forcefulness”.
“No authority outside of Venezuelan institutions has the power to interfere, block or condition the use of national airspace,” stated the Venezuelan Government, in a statement then released by the Foreign Ministry in Caracas.
Photograph of a plane at the Simón Bolívar International Airport this Monday, in Maiquetia (Venezuela) Photo: EFE/ Ronald Peña R
These exchanges occur in the midst of growing tensions between Washington and Caracas, following the US military deployment in the Caribbean, defended by the White House as part of its strategy against drugs from Latin America, but which the Chavista Administration calls a “threat” and an attempt to promote a regime change.
On November 21, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urged “extreme caution” when flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean in the face of what it considers “a potentially dangerous situation” in the area, which unleashed a wave of flight cancellations to and from the South American country.
In response, Venezuela revoked the operating concessions of seven international airlines, including this Monday the Spanish company Plus Ultra.
