FAA Warns Flights Away From Venezuela — As Washington Pushes a Ukraine Deal That Favors Russia in Exchange for Maduro’s Exit

The FAA is now warning flights away from Venezuelan airspace, citing security risks and heightened military activity. At the same time, Washington is pressing Ukraine to accept a peace framework that hands Russia major concessions—reportedly part of a broader bargain aimed at securing Russian support for pushing Nicolás Maduro from power.

Airlines Warned To Avoid Venezuelen Airspace

The Federal Aviation Administration issued an advisory warning that the airspace in and around the Maiquetía Flight Information Region (which covers Venezuela and parts of the Caribbean) poses a “potentially hazardous situation” due to “worsening security conditions and heightened military activity.”

The agency says aircraft at all altitudes, for all phases of flight, are at risk – that means takeoff and landing, on the ground, as well as overflight. They asked operators to give at least 72 hours of advance notice to the FAA if flying through the area.

• Several international carriers — including TAP Air Portugal, Iberia Airlines, GOL, and Avianca — cancelled flights to and from Caracas, citing the advisory.

• U.S. airlines have had direct flights to Venezuela suspended since 2019, but some still overflew Venezuelan airspace on South American routes until now.

U.S. Pushing Ukraine To Accept Peace Deal

The U.S. has pushed a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine that gives Russia most everything it wants, from Ukranian territory they do not currently control to guarantees Ukraine could never join NATO (and even symbolic victories like bans on ‘Nazi’ rhetoric in Ukraine).

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was reportedly saying that the peace plan was not the administration’s, that they merely forwarded a Russian proposal. It was cooked up by Steven Witkoff with his Russian counterpart. This was in direct contradiction to statements that had previously been made by administration figures including J.D. Vance.

AI analysis suggested it was originally written in Russian and translated, not changed. Though Rubio is a relatively pro-Ukraine voice in the administration, he appears to have since fallen into line.

U.S. Appears To Try Trading Ukraine For Venezuela

These two developments are related, it seems. The U.S. appears to be trying to trade Ukraine surrender to Russia for Russian acquiescence on Venezuela, getting Maduro out.

Fact: Marco Rubio is Secretary of State and National Security Advisor. He is now in Geneva with the US Army Secretary negotiating with the Ukrainians on what is largely being seen as a document that halts the fighting in Ukraine giving Russia concessions like control of Ukrainian territory that the Russian military does not yet control and barring Ukraine from future membership in NATO.

These talks in Geneva are taking place on the eve of what appears to be a massive US effort to remove Maduro from oil rich Venezuela (a Russian ally in the US sphere of influence).

Rubio leading talks after denying to US Senators that the Ukraine plan was a US plan (implying it was a Russian plan)- then denying he said so in a tweet today while in Geneva.)

This as reports of diplomats leaving Caracas, flights being cancelled due to massive US military build up off Venezuela’s shores and plans for the US to begin CIA led covert ops and alleged plans to drop flyers demanding Maduro step down (in other words regime change that Rubio has long advocated for.)

The Ukraine deal appears to be linked to the looming US actions in Venezuela based on timing and public reporting.

Fact: Marco Rubio is Secretary of State and National Security Advisor. He is now in Geneva with the US Army Secretary negotiating with the Ukrainians on what is largely being seen as a document that halts the fighting in Ukraine giving Russia concessions like control of Ukrainian…

— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 23, 2025

Meanwhile Europe probably doesn’t want a deal at all on (almost) any terms.

Europeans are horrified whenever the Americans and the Russians talk about Ukraine. In our lead story this morning we argue that the EU will want to frustrate a peace deal for three reasons: Peace would be more expensive for them than war. Divisions would emerge about EU…

— Wolfgang Munchau (@EuroBriefing) November 21, 2025

So the answer to ‘why now’ for FAA warnings over Venezuelan airspace may be because the administration is working to push out Maduro now, with potential signoff from Venezuelan ally Russia, in exchange for carving up Ukraine in a peace deal.