Venezuela halts Colombia flights amid alleged destabilization plot

Venezuela has halted all air travel to and from Colombia following the arrest of over 30 individuals accused of planning attacks to disrupt the country ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections. The suspension, announced by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, took immediate effect and will last for one week.

The arrests were revealed shortly before an independent panel supported by the Organization of American States released a report detailing extensive human rights violations in Venezuela following the July 28, 2024 presidential election.

Cabello stated that those detained 21 Venezuelans and 17 foreigners, including Colombian, Mexican, and Ukrainian nationals were allegedly involved in plans to place explosives at embassies, hospitals, and police stations. He claimed the individuals entered Venezuela from Colombia, either by air or land, but had originally departed from other unnamed countries. According to Cabello, the suspects included individuals with experience in explosives, human trafficking, and mercenary operations, and were allegedly connected to opposition factions.

Cabello accused the opposition of trying to depict Venezuela as unfit to hold elections. However, Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had not received formal notification about the arrest of any Colombian nationals. Both nations’ aviation authorities confirmed the flight suspension, which will remain in place until 6 p.m. on Monday, May 26.

President Nicolás Maduro, whose recent re-election was widely condemned internationally as fraudulent, has frequently accused the United States and Colombia of supporting coup attempts. Opposition leader María Corina Machado, speaking via Zoom with AFP, called for a voter boycott in the upcoming elections, predicting polling stations would be deserted. The opposition claims that its candidate, former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia, won the July 2024 election before being forced into exile in Spain due to political repression.

The OAS-backed expert panel reported that Venezuela is undergoing its harshest phase of political repression in recent history. The findings include extrajudicial killings of protesters, forced disappearances, and a rise in arbitrary arrests. Targets now also include election officials, opposition family members, minors, and others. Following the controversial 2024 vote, Venezuela severed diplomatic and flight ties with several countries. Some airlines also ceased operations due to unresolved financial issues.

Flight routes between Venezuela and Colombia had only resumed in late 2022 after the election of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who reestablished ties that had been cut in 2019 when former President Iván Duque rejected Maduro’s earlier re-election.