Venezuela has stripped six international airlines of their operating permits after the carriers suspended services to Caracas in response to American warnings about military operations in the region, in a move that has stranded thousands of passengers and deepened the country's international isolation.

Authorities in Caracas on November 26 cancelled the landing rights of Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca and Turkish Airlines, declaring they had aligned themselves with what the government characterised as "US-sponsored aggression against Venezuela."

The sanctions came after the airlines stopped flying to the Venezuelan capital over safety concerns following an advisory from the US Federal Aviation Administration, which cautioned operators about risks linked to deteriorating security conditions and increased military movements around Venezuela.

The carriers had been given two days to restart their operations or face losing access to Venezuelan airspace. The deadline expired, prompting the regime of President Nicolas Maduro to publish the ban in the official gazette.

Washington has positioned 15,000 military personnel and the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier near Venezuelan waters in what it describes as an anti-narcotics mission. American forces have struck at least 21 vessels suspected of drug smuggling, resulting in more than 80 deaths, though no evidence of narcotics has been made public.

The scale of the deployment — the largest American military presence in the Caribbean since the Panama intervention in 1989 — has fuelled suspicions in Caracas that the true objective is regime change. Maduro's government views the operation as a pretext to remove the president, whose re-election was widely dismissed as fraudulent by opposition forces and international observers.

The FAA had advised flight operators to take precautions when using Maiquetía airport at all flight levels, citing the worsening situation and military build-up in and around Venezuela.

According to El Pais, Portugal's infrastructure minister Miguel Pinto Luz responded firmly to the ban, stating his country would not bow to intimidation of any form. He said that the state carrier TAP made decisions based solely on Portuguese national interests and passenger safety.

Spain's foreign minister José Manuel Albares pledged his government's backing for affected Spanish companies, whilst the Spanish aviation regulator AESA had issued its own warning advising operators to avoid Venezuelan airspace until early December. The Spanish advisory cited dangers from military activities, air defence systems effective at all flight levels, and poor coordination among conflicting parties.

Two other Spanish carriers, Air Europa and Plus Ultra, escaped sanctions despite also grounding their Venezuela services, apparently because they acted after the ultimatum was issued rather than before.

Iberia stated that passenger and crew safety remained paramount and expressed hope of resuming operations when stability returned to the area. The airline typically runs daily rotations between Madrid and Caracas on most days of the week.

The cancellations have disrupted approximately 6,000 passengers on Spanish routes alone through early December, with at least 36 weekly flights normally operating between Madrid and Caracas. Colombian officials reported that roughly 1,500 travellers on their Venezuela routes faced disruption.

Whilst some smaller, mostly domestic operators continue serving Venezuela, the loss of major international carriers has significantly reduced connectivity for a country already facing diplomatic isolation and restricted air services.

Both Trump and Maduro have recently indicated openness to direct dialogue. Speaking to reporters, the American president said he was willing to engage with his Venezuelan counterpart but warned that Washington was prepared to pursue either diplomatic or forceful options.

Meanwhile, US officials have told Reuters that the start of unspecified covert activities in Venezuela is expected in the coming days. These would likely constitute the opening phase of fresh measures, although neither the precise schedule nor full extent have been established, and it remains unclear whether Trump has issued definitive approval.