Trump humiliated as country BANS six major airlines over US war fears

An aircraft lands in Venezuela amid rising tensions with the US (Image: Getty )

Venezuela has banned six major international airlines and blamed it on Donald Trump and the US for "state terrorism" as military tensions reach ba oiling point between the two nations. The South American country has slapped a ban on Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca and Turkish Airlines, saying the carriers failed to meet a 48-hour deadline to resume flights there.

Many airlines temporarily stopped routes to the Venezuelan capital Caracas after the White House warned of "heightened military activity" in the region. The US has deployed 15,000 troops and the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, to within striking distance of its South American neighbour in a move which it claims is to combat drug trafficking.

But Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro claims the flexing of America's military might is a deliberate attempt to remove him from power. Reacting to some airlines suspending flights, the Venezuelan ministry of transport said it was banning airlines who it claimed were "joining the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government and unilaterally suspending air commercial operations".

The American president has been putting pressure on his South American neighbour (Image: Getty )

The move comes as Trump evaluates whether to take military action against Venezuela, which he has not ruled out despite bringing up the possibility of talks with Maduro.

Land strikes or other actions would be a major expansion of the months' long operation that has included a massive military buildup in the Caribbean Sea and and striking boats from Venezuela accused of trafficking drugs, killing more than 80 people.

Since the arrival of US warships and troops to the Caribbean months ago, Venezuela’s US-backed political opposition also has reignited its perennial promise of removing Maduro from office, fueling speculation over the purpose of what the Trump administration has called a counterdrug operation.

President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro is the controversial leader in Trump's sights (Image: Getty )

Mr Trump, like his predecessor, does not recognise Maduro as Venezuela's leader.

Maduro is in his third term, having been declared the winner of last year's presidential election by ruling-party loyalists, despite credible evidence that the opposition's candidate defeated him by a margin of more than 2 to 1.

He and senior officials have been repeatedly accused of human rights violations against real and perceived government opponents, including in the aftermath of the July 2024 election.