Chilean government regrets Venezuela’s decision to suspend direct flights

The Chilean Government regretted the decision of its Venezuelan counterpart to suspend direct flights between the two countries, in a new step in the diplomatic conflict they have maintained since the last presidential elections in the Caribbean nation.

“This is a unilateral decision that once again puts nearly 800,000 Venezuelans residing in our country in a situation of vulnerability. It is an unjustified action and one that we regret,” said a spokesperson for the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a brief message. .

A source from the Venezuelan Ministry of Transportation informed EFE today of the aforementioned suspension, recorded in a NOTAM issued by the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC), attached to that State portfolio.

“Aerocommercial passenger transport operations to and from the Republic of Chile are suspended,” the document states without explaining the reason.

Detonating

The authorities suspend these operations a day after the Chilean president, Gabriel Boric, in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly, called the Venezuelan Government a “dictatorship”, which he accused of trying to “steal” the July 28 elections. , in which Nicolás Maduro was proclaimed the winner by the National Electoral Council (CNE).

In that sense, Boric called for recognition of “the triumph” that the majority anti-Chavismo – grouped in the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – assures that its standard bearer, Edmundo González Urrutia, obtained by a wide margin.

The suspension of flights with Chile is added to the “temporary” cessation of air operations with Panama, the Dominican Republic and Peru, in force since July 31 by order of the Venezuelan Executive, in rejection “of the interference of right-wing governments” regarding the presidential elections, whose disaggregated results are still unknown.

Consequences

The president of the Venezuelan Airlines Association (ALAV), Marisela de Loaiza, recently told EFE that the suspension with Panama, the Dominican Republic and Peru is a “political” measure with which the oil country reduced its international connectivity by 54%. .

Of the 181 international flights per week that there were before the measure, 83 remained, that is, 98 less, which is equivalent to about 15,000 weekly seats that are no longer available, according to the association.

Santiago / EFE