Venezuela Suspends Flights from Colombia Amid Arrests Over Alleged Pre-Election Plot
Venezuela has suspended all commercial flights from neighboring Colombia after authorities arrested more than 30 individuals accused of plotting violent acts to destabilize the country ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections, as per Al Jazeera.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced the measure on state television Monday, stating the suspension is “immediate” and will remain in effect for one week, until 6pm local time on May 26. The flight ban comes amid heightened tensions and international scrutiny following Venezuela’s controversial presidential election in July 2024.
According to Cabello, those detained were allegedly planning to target embassies, hospitals, and police stations with explosives in a coordinated effort to disrupt the upcoming vote. Authorities said they apprehended 38 individuals—21 Venezuelans and 17 foreigners—including Colombian, Mexican, and Ukrainian nationals. Some suspects reportedly entered Venezuela from Colombia, either by land or air, after traveling from other unnamed countries.
Cabello, offering no evidence to support his claims, described the suspects as “experts in explosive devices, human smugglers and mercenaries” who were working in coordination with opposition figures. He claimed the objective was to create a false impression that Venezuela lacks the conditions to hold a legitimate election.
Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by saying it had not received official information about the arrest of Colombian citizens. Colombia’s civil aviation authority confirmed the suspension of flights between the two nations.
The move further strains relations between the countries, which had only recently restored diplomatic and transportation links in 2022 after years of tension. Flights had resumed after the election of Colombia’s first leftist president, Gustavo Petro, who re-established diplomatic ties severed in 2019 under former president Iván Duque.
The arrests coincide with the release of a damning report by an independent panel of experts backed by the Organization of American States. The report accuses the Venezuelan government of committing serious human rights abuses following President Nicolás Maduro’s disputed re-election in July 2024. It describes a “severe and sophisticated” campaign of political repression, including executions of unarmed protesters, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and intimidation of civilians linked to the opposition.
Venezuela’s government, under Maduro, has repeatedly alleged foreign-backed plots against the state, often accusing the United States and Colombia of attempting to overthrow it. In the past year, Venezuela has severed ties with several nations and airlines amid diplomatic rifts and unpaid debts.
