Carriers from Panama, Colombia and Russia keep routes open despite Trump’s warnings.

Despite pressure from Washington, several international airlines are maintaining their routes to Venezuela, defying a U.S. air blockade disguised as a security measure.

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According to data from Simon Bolivar International Airport and the BBC, two foreign airlines operated commercial flights over the weekend.

Panama-based Copa Airlines announced it will maintain two daily flights between Panama City and Caracas, exclusively during daytime hours because of U.S. restrictions. Colombian carrier Wingo confirmed it will continue operating the Bogota–Caracas route, preserving one of the region’s busiest air corridors.

In the cargo sector, two Aerosucre aircraft from Colombia also transported goods, while Bolivia’s state-owned Boliviana de Aviacion continued selling tickets to the Venezuelan capital.

Local outlet La Iguana reported that 20 international flights had destinations including Bogota, Lima, Curaçao and Panama. Of those, six flights were operated by foreign airlines.

“The United States does not have the right to close Venezuelan airspace. It can do so with its own airlines, but not with the airlines of the world,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro said, referring to Washington’s warnings about flights to Venezuela.

Following those remarks, Petro ordered the full restoration of flights between Colombia and Venezuela, given that the interruption of air connectivity directly harms border communities, bilateral trade and the diplomatic normalization efforts pursued by both countries since 2022.

Meanwhile, Russia’s ambassador to Venezuela, Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov, sent a symbolic message by returning to the South American nation aboard the St. Petersburgh-Caracas inaugural direct flight. The diplomat invoked the Nazi blockade of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War and compared it to the current restrictions imposed by the United States on Venezuela.

“In these difficult times, the Russian people remain unconditionally at the side of the Venezuelan people. We believe victory will be ours and that peace will come,” Melik-Bagdasarov said.

From Moscow, President Vladimir Putin’s government has criticized Washington’s warnings, saying they are aimed at strangling Venezuela’s economy and obstructing the free operation of foreign airlines.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: La Iguana – EFE – AP

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