26 Sep 2024 | 03:43 PM UTC
Venezuela: Authorities suspend flights to Chile indefinitely; protests, air and ground disruptions likely to continue through late October /update 9
Additional flight disruptions, protests likely in Venezuela through at least late October, following disputed presidential election.
Flight and ground transport disruptions, as well as protests and clashes, including some instances of violence, are likely to continue in Venezuela through at least late October, following the disputed July 28 presidential election. Venezuelan authorities announced, on Sept. 25, the indefinite suspension of flights to and from Chile. Officials maintain the cancellation of flights connecting Venezuela with Peru, Dominican Republic, and Panama, since July 31, and have not provided an estimate as to when flights could resume. The suspensions follow those governments' criticisms of the presidential election.
Protests have been occurring since July 29, and nongovernment organizations claim more than 20 demonstrators have been killed and over 1,000 arrested. Demonstrations are likely to continue; however, protest activity has significantly decreased since August, and further demonstrations are likely to be small, though some may be disruptive, as demonstrators are likely to block roads. Protests are especially likely in major cities, including Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia, Barquisimeto, and San Cristobal.
Security forces and government supporters are likely to clash with demonstrators, at times using tear gas, rubber bullets, and, in some instances, lethal force. Protesters are likely to set tires, trash, and other objects on fire to close roads and throw rocks and objects at the police and military. Acts of violence and vandalism are possible, especially against government properties. Disruptions to ground transport and business operations are possible. Flight suspensions will almost certainly cause extensive disruptions to international travel to and from Venezuela. Additional cancellations of international flights cannot be ruled out.
Officials could impose curfews or cut telecommunications services in an effort to curb unrest. Authorities may also attempt to carry out mass arrests of protesters, as well as preemptively detain figures linked to the political opposition.
Plan for disruptions to flights transiting through Chile, Panama, Peru, and the Dominican Republic; consider making alternative transportation plans. Do not check out of accommodations until flights are confirmed. Avoid all gatherings as a standard precaution. Reconfirm the status of transport services and road routes before travel. If violence erupts in your area, depart the vicinity and seek shelter in a secure, nongovernmental building. Do not attempt to cross roadblocks set up by protesters. Heed the advice of officials. Maintain contact with diplomatic missions.
Venezuela's National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, CNE) announced late July 28 that President Nicolas Maduro received close to 52 percent of the vote, over opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who received 44 percent. In the following days, CNE leaders proclaimed Maduro as president-elect for a new term, to start on January 2025, but have not shown any details or proof of the results, despite being legally required to do so. The opposition coalition disputed the numbers, and has published detailed results of the election, based on printouts of most voting centers throughout the country. According to their results, its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia obtained more than 67 percent of the vote.
Gonzalez Urrutia, left for exile in Spain on Sept. 8, days after Venezuelan authorities issued an arrest warrant against him. He had been in hiding at the Embassy of the Netherlands since the days after the election and then at the Embassy of Spain. Maria Corina Machado, one of the leaders of the opposition, has also been in hiding since early August but has briefly appeared on several occasions to participate in rallies.
The Carter Center, one of the few independent electoral observers allowed in the Venezuela election, has issued statements claiming the presidential election did not meet international standards and cannot be considered democratic. Multiple governments, including most Latin American nations, the US, and the European Union, have also criticized the process, demanding the CNE to release details of the results, and have said they cannot recognize Maduro's victory.
On July 29, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil ordered all diplomatic staff from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay to leave Venezuela with immediate effect following these governments' refusal to accept the results of the election without a detailed accounting. President Maduro has insisted on his victory, and has claimed the violence of the streets has been perpetrated by the opposition.
