American Airlines has suspended all flights to Venezuela

The American airline American Airlines has announced the suspension of its flights to Venezuela because of the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and the recrudescence of the security problems in the country.

"American temporarily suspended our operation in Caracas and Maracaibo", the airline said in a statement. "The safety and protection of our team members and customers are always top priorities and Americans will not operate in countries we do not consider safe."

A short time ago, he had asked the Allied Pilots Association to clarify that the personnel on board "Do not accept travel to Venezuela."

"Until further notice, if this mission is scheduled, badigned or rebadigned for a match against Venezuela, refuse this mission," said the president of the Allied Pilots Association (APA), Dan Carey, in a message to the pilots.

Americans fly twice a day between Caracas and Miami and once a day between Maracaibo and Miami.

The Association of Professional Flight Assistants replied the pilots' notification to their own members, adding that it "supports the decision of the ABS to 100% because the safety of our equipment should be our absolute priority ".

The Flight Attendant Union has notified US CEO Doug Parker of his decision: "We will not put our crews at risk and we support the decision of the pilots not to go to Venezuela due to the escalation of political unrest".

Lori Bbadani, union president, also urged Parker to "suspend flights to this region until the situation is completely safe."

Several airlines have suspended flights to the country because of security concerns and money disputes that the government owes them. United Airlines has terminated its flights to Venezuela in 2017.

The American Airlines unions quote the travel warning issued by Washington on March 12 because of "troubles experienced in the civilian sphere, the poor health situation and the arbitrary arrests and detentions of US citizens in Venezuela. "

Venezuela sank into a deep political crisis in January, when opposition leader Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself interim president of the South American country, claiming that Nicolás Maduro's reelection in 2018 would Was not legitimate.

The decision placed Venezuela at the center of a geopolitical impulse, in which the United States leads the recognition of Guaidó as a legitimate state leader alongside most Western countries.

With information from Reuters, Bloomberg and EFE