The Department of Transportation wants to stop all air travel between the U.S. and Venezuela due to the political crisis in the South American nation.
According to an order posted by the Department of Transportation Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security has determined that “conditions in Venezuela threaten the safety and security of passengers, aircraft, and crew traveling to or from that country, and that the public interest requires an immediate suspension of all commercial passenger and cargo flights between the United States and Venezuela.”
The order, which will remain in place indefinitely if approved by President Trump, prohibits U.S. and foreign air carriers to stop carrying passengers and cargo between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Tensions in Venezuela have continued to escalate. The U.S. and other allies have backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president, but Guaidó’s recent attempt to oust Venezuela strongman Nicolás Maduro this month was unsuccessful.
