The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, questioned the closure of Venezuelan airspace imposed by the United States government, stating that the measure would be completely illegal.” In a series of publications on the X network, he asked that airlines that comply with the measure be fined.
“I tell the world that a foreign president cannot close national airspace, or the concept of national sovereignty and the concept of international law will cease to exist,” said Petro, highlighting that he speaks on behalf of Colombia and as president of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).
Petro stated that there is no authorization from the United Nations (UN) Security Council or the United States Senate for any military measure or restriction that affects Venezuelan airspace. “The international order must be preserved, and Latin America and the Caribbean must affirm this without fear”, he reinforced.
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The Colombian president also stated that “no airline should accept illegal orders over the airspace of any country”. With this, he requested that the European Union determine the normalization of flights to Venezuela or impose fines on companies that fail to comply with the agreement signed between Europeans, Latin Americans and the Caribbean.
Petro added that Colombian companies that refuse to provide contracted services and do not follow instructions from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) or the Colombian government should also be sanctioned. The president also criticized the actions of the ICAO, saying that the entity would be “failing” by allowing the closure. “Humanity must have the freedom to fly and the skies must be open around the world”, he concluded.
