Top US military adviser visits Caribbean, airlines cancel flights to Venezuela amid fear of military action

US military buildup

Gen. Caine, who is also Donald Trump’ primary military adviser, is visiting Puerto Rico at a time when the US has amassed an unusually large fleet of warships in the region.

Since September, the US military’s buildup and strikes on 21 alleged drug-smuggling boats off the South American coast have killed more than 80 people.

Flights avoid Venezuelan skies

Meanwhile, International airlines increasingly canceled flights to Venezuela after the US Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday warned pilots to use caution when flying in the country’s airspace because of worsening security and heightened military activity.

Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Airlines Association in Venezuela, told The Associated Press that six carriers have indefinitely suspended flights: TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol and Caribbean. Turkish Airlines suspended flights from November 24 to 28.

On Friday, the FAA warned pilots that unspecified threats “could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes,” as well as planes taking off and landing in the country and even aircraft on the ground.

US designates Cartel de los Soles as terrorist group

The warning came as the Trump administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the US accuses of running a narco-state.

The US on Monday formally designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, layering additional terrorism-related sanctions on the group.

According to the US, Maduro is the ring-leader of the Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns, which also includes other high-ranking Venezuelan officials.

The Treasury Department in July designated Cartel de los Soles, a reference to the sun insignia worn by Venezuelan generals, as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” which froze any of its US assets and generally barred Americans from dealing with it.

non-existent group: Venezuela

Venezuela’s government rejected what it called a “ridiculous” US plan to designate the “non-existent” group.

“Venezuela categorically, firmly, and absolutely rejects the new and ridiculous fabrication by the Secretary of the US Department of State, Marco Rubio, which designates the non-existent Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization,” said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on his Telegram account.

Maduro and his government have always denied any involvement in crime and have accused the US of seeking regime change out of a desire to control Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. Trump has said repeatedly that he is not pursuing regime change in Venezuela.