US aviation authorities have urged airlines to exercise caution when flying over Venezuela, citing a “potentially hazardous situation
The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, issued the advisory on Friday, amid Washington’s strengthened military pressure on the South American country as part of its counter-narcotics measures.
Since September, the US military has attacked several boats allegedly carrying drugs in waters off the Venezuelan coast.
The administration of US President Donald Trump argues that the smuggling of large amounts of drugs is considered an act of terrorism.
The administration has deployed an aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship, among others, to the region, alleging that huge amounts of drugs are being smuggled from Venezuela.
The FAA, citing “heightened military activity in or around Venezuela,” said threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes.
The US State Department is set to designate a Venezuela-based drug cartel as a foreign terrorist organization, effective Monday. It says the group is led by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other high-ranking government officials.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a media interview that the designation will bring “a whole bunch of new options to the United States.”
He said no decisions related to the cartel are off the table, but nothing is automatically on the table, either.
