DHS Suspends Cargo and Passenger Flights Between Venezuela and US

All U.S. cargo and air transportation to and from any airport in Venezuela is suspended, effective May 15, the Department of Homeland Security said in a notice. "The Secretary of Homeland Security has determined that conditions in Venezuela threaten the safety and security of passengers, aircraft, and crew, and that the public interest requires an immediate suspension of air transportation," DHS said. The decision involved multiple factors, including the limited access of Transportation Security Administration employees to perform assessments in the airports and "the risk of Maduro regime actions against U.S. citizens and U.S. interests located in Venezuela," DHS said. Acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan made the decision, with input from the secretaries of Transportation and State. "If and when the conditions in Venezuela change and if in the public interest, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, will revisit this determination," DHS said.