US Aviation Authority Issues Stern Warning for Venezuelan Airspace
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken the significant step of issuing a formal warning to all pilots operating in Venezuelan airspace. The alert, released on Friday 21st November 2025, explicitly advises aviators to "exercise caution" due to what it describes as a worsening security situation and increased military operations throughout the country.
Unspecified Threats Pose Risk to All Aircraft
According to the official notice, the nature of the threats remains unspecified but is considered severe enough to present "a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes". This concerning advisory extends beyond flights in transit, also covering aircraft during the critical phases of takeoff and landing, and even those parked on the ground at Venezuelan airports.
The warning is set to remain active for a period of 90 days, indicating that authorities anticipate prolonged instability. When questioned about the rationale behind the notice, the Pentagon deferred all comments to the FAA, which confirmed the warning's issuance but provided no further elaboration.
Regional Tensions and Military Buildup Context
This aviation security alert comes against a backdrop of significantly heightened tensions between the United States and Venezuela. The Trump administration has markedly increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whose government the US does not recognise as legitimate. Maduro himself faces charges of narcoterrorism in American courts.
Recent US military activities in the region include:
- Conducting bomber flights along the Venezuelan coast
- Performing training exercises that simulate attack scenarios
- Deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier with several destroyers
This naval group represents the largest US force assembled in the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela in generations. Concurrently, the US has executed a series of strikes on vessels it accuses of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in over 80 fatalities since the campaign began in early September.
Aviation safety expert Mary Schiavo, a former Inspector General for the Department of Transportation, provided context for the FAA's decision. "I wouldn't take it as necessarily there's any kind of attack is imminent because I've seen these issued many times before. But as a pilot myself, I'd certainly heed it," Schiavo commented. She suggested the warning could indicate that the United States anticipates military action by Venezuela, or that it might be planning further operations against drug trafficking networks.
