Diplomats Reportedly Leaving Venezuela Amid Flight Cancellations and Escalating U.S. Pressure

Fox News national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin said Sunday that diplomats were leaving Caracas as the United States prepared a new phase of pressure on President Nicolás Maduro.

In a detailed post on X, Griffin wrote that reports of departing diplomats, mass flight cancellations, and a significant U.S. military buildup off Venezuela's shores were unfolding "on the eve of what appears to be a massive U.S. effort to remove Maduro from oil rich Venezuela."

Griffin said the Trump administration was considering CIA-led covert operations and "alleged plans to drop flyers demanding Maduro step down," adding that these developments coincided with Secretary of State Marco Rubio's talks in Geneva. She wrote that the timing of the Ukraine negotiations appeared "linked to the looming U.S. actions in Venezuela," based on public reporting and the sequence of events.

Fact: Marco Rubio is Secretary of State and National Security Advisor. He is now in Geneva with the US Army Secretary negotiating with the Ukrainians on what is largely being seen as a document that halts the fighting in Ukraine giving Russia concessions like control of Ukrainian…

— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 23, 2025

Griffin's remarks followed a warning by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration urging airlines to avoid Venezuelan airspace due to a "potentially hazardous situation" stemming from increased military activity. After the alert, multiple international carriers suspended flights to and from Caracas, including Avianca, Gol, TAP Air Portugal, Iberia, Latam Airlines, and Turkish Airlines.

The FAA said threats in the region could pose risks during overflight or while aircraft are landing, departing, or on the ground.

• Venezuelan Regime Slams Marco Rubio For Designation Of Cartel de los Soles As Terrorist Organization: 'Vile Lie'
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These travel disruptions coincide with a broader U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean. Since August, Washington has assembled a force that includes the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, several destroyers, a submarine, F-35 aircraft, and other assets. The Pentagon says the mission is aimed at counter-narcotics operations, and U.S. forces have conducted more than 20 strikes on boats they say were transporting drugs, resulting in more than 80 deaths.

U.S. officials told Reuters during the weekend that the administration is preparing a new stage of Venezuela-related operations, with covert actions expected to begin first. The officials did not specify timing or whether President Trump had made final decisions. A senior administration official said only that Trump "is prepared to use every element of American power" to counter drug trafficking and "bring those responsible to justice."

Washington designated the Cartel de los Soles—a group it accuses Maduro of leading—as a foreign terrorist organization on Monday, potentially paving the way for military strikes in the country.

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