Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, 51, did not attend the Palm Springs International Film Festival awards ceremony, held on Saturday (3), in the United States, due to travel restrictions caused by the conflict between the United States and Venezuela.
According to People magazine, DiCaprio was expected at the event to receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for his performance in the film “One Battle After Another”.
DiCaprio, however, was unable to leave the island of St. Barths, in the Caribbean, where he was staying, due to interruptions in air traffic following orders from American President Donald Trump.
In a statement sent to People, a festival spokesperson said it was prevented from traveling due to “unexpected disruptions and airspace restrictions.” The organization stated that, despite the physical absence, it maintained its tribute to the artist during the ceremony.
Virtual speech
During the ceremony, DiCaprio sent a recorded thank you speech, which was shown to the public.
The award had been announced in November and recognizes director Paul Thomas Anderson.
Even without attending the event, the actor remains among the nominees for the current awards season.
He is competing for best actor at the Critics Choice Awards, which take place this Sunday (4), and at the Golden Globes next week.
Closed routes
The Trump administration announced on Saturday military attacks on Venezuelan territory with the aim of dismantling the regime of dictator Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by American troops.
The offensive provoked violence in the Caribbean region and affected airports and flights in several countries close to Venezuela.
Airport authorities in Southern California reported that there was a temporary suspension of takeoffs due to problems with air traffic control, attributed to the regional impact of the conflict.
