The United States has lifted temporary airspace restrictions across parts of the Caribbean following a US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro.
Commercial flights were earlier suspended as US forces carried out a pre-dawn operation that included air strikes on locations in and around Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. During the operation, Maduro and his wife were apprehended by US special forces and flown by helicopter to New York, where they are expected to face charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offences.
Announcing the lifting of the restrictions, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said normal flight operations could resume shortly after midnight.
“The initial airspace limitations expired at 12:00 a.m., and flights can now operate as scheduled,” Duffy stated in a post on social media platform X. He added that airlines had been notified and would “update their schedules quickly.”
Earlier on Saturday, the US Federal Aviation Administration had directed commercial airlines to avoid Caribbean airspace, warning of a “potentially hazardous situation.”
According to the FAA, the restriction was imposed due to “safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity” in the region.
The US action has sparked international reactions, with several global and regional bodies expressing concern over the military intervention and its implications for regional stability.
