The Canadian government has issued an updated travel advisory for Venezuela in response to what it is calling a “heightened security situation” in that country.
Canadians are being asked to avoid all travel to the South American country, due in part the “unstable political and economic situations.”
“The current situation in Venezuela is tense and could escalate quickly. Borders and airspace could close at short notice. Several airlines have suspended flights to and from Venezuela, reducing options to leave the country,” the advisory says.
The Embassy of Canada to Venezuela has been closed since 2019, meaning the ability to provide consular help to any Canadians in that country is limited and must be done remotely. Consular assistance and further consular information is available from the Embassy of Canada to Colombia in Bogota.
The warning comes in the wake of a U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country early Saturday, disrupting Caribbean travel at a busy time for the region.
No airline flights were crossing over Venezuela on Saturday, according to FlightRadar24.com. And major airlines canceled hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean region and warned passengers that the disruptions could continue for days after the Federal Aviation Administration imposed restrictions.
Flights were canceled to and from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba and more than a dozen other destinations in the Lesser Antilles island group that lies north of Venezuela. The airlines are waiving change fees for passengers who have to reschedule their flights this weekend.
At the Queen Beatrix airport in Aruba, a popular holiday destination for U.S. vacationers just 15 miles (24 kilometers) off Venezuela’s coast, officials said they expected operations to resume normally on Sunday after a day of canceled flights that stranded travelers or blocked them from flying to the island Saturday.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post that “the FAA restricted the airspace in the Caribbean and Venezuela to ensure the SAFETY of the flying public.”
“When appropriate, these airspace restrictions will be lifted,” he wrote on X. “Please work with your airlines directly if your flight has been impacted.”
The FAA had earlier said it imposed a temporary airspace restriction on Puerto Rico’s international airport and surrounding regions.
An announcement by Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan posted on the social media site X said restrictions were put in place because of the “security situation related to military activity” in Venezuela.
As a result, most commercial airlines to and from the airport that are operated by U.S. airlines have been suspended or may be canceled.
Foreign airlines and military aircraft were not included in this restriction, the statement said. “Passengers are urged to check the status of their flight directly with their airline before heading to the airport.”
Air Canada says while its flights to the Caribbean and South America are operating normally, it is providing some “flexible rebooking” for customers scheduled to fly to 17 airports in the region up to January 6.
JetBlue said it canceled about 215 flights “due to airspace closures across the Caribbean related to military activity.” It also noted that flights farther west to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica were not affected by the government’s restrictions. Customers could rebook their travel or request a refund if the flights were canceled, the company said.
United Airlines said it was adjusting its schedule to account for airspace closures in the region. It said customers could change their travel plans in the region for free as it continued to monitor the situation and worked with U.S. aviation authorities.
Southwest Airlines said it canceled all Aruba flights for Saturday and suspended Puerto Rico flights until further notice, but flights to the Dominican Republic were unaffected.
American Airlines said it was waiving change fees for flights to and from about 20 island destinations, including Anguilla, Antigua, Curacao, Saint Lucia and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
Delta Air Lines said it has issued a travel waiver for customers traveling to or from 13 impacted airports through Tuesday.
The flight disruptions also affected some travelers booked for Caribbean cruises. Cruise operator Virgin Voyages said airline travelers unable to make it to San Juan, Puerto Rico in time for an upcoming cruise departure would be able to get a full credit for a future trip.
