Due to the possibility of military operations and GPS interference, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration cautioned airlines on Friday to be cautious when flying over Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America.
According to the FAA, airmen in Mexico, Central America, Ecuador, Colombia, and parts of the eastern Pacific Ocean have received notices. It stated that the warnings will run for about 60 days, starting on Friday.
Since the Trump administration launched a massive military buildup in the southern Caribbean, attacked Venezuela, and captured its president, Nicolas Maduro, in a military operation, tensions between the United States and regional governments have increased.
The prospect of additional military operations in the region, especially against Colombia, has been brought up by President Donald Trump.
In one of several threats to use U.S. military force against cartels, Trump said last week that drug cartels controlled Mexico and warned the U.S. may strike land targets to fight them.
In response, Mexico stated that the FAA's advise is merely a precaution and does not limit Mexican airlines or airspace. According to a statement from the ministry, the warning only affects U.S. operators and has no bearing on aviation operations in Mexico.
Major airlines were forced to cancel hundreds of flights after the FAA restricted travel throughout the Caribbean following the attack on Venezuela.
This week, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told Reuters that prior to the Venezuela operation, there had been excellent communication between the agency and the U.S. military.
A JetBlue passenger plane headed for New York used evasive maneuvers last month to avoid colliding with a U.S. Air Force tanker plane in midair close to Venezuela.
After leaving the Caribbean country of Curacao, JetBlue Flight 1112 was flying approximately 40 miles (60 km) off the coast of Venezuela when it reported coming into contact with an Air Force aircraft that was not using its transponder.
