Venezuela bans Argentine aircraft from flying over its territory

Venezuelan authorities have banned aircraft registered in Argentina from flying over their territory after the confiscation of a Venezuelan company Emtrasur aircraft in Buenos Aires, Report informs via Clarin.

The decision primarily affected Aerol neas Argentinas aircraft flying to Mexico and the United States. In addition, the ban affected private aircraft registered in Argentina.

According to Clarin, the Argentine Foreign Ministry sent two notes to the Venezuelan side, and also summoned the Venezuelan Ambassador to Buenos Aires, Stella Lugo, a few weeks ago.

An Emtrasur plane was unable to take off from Buenos Aires in June 2022 when a court prohibited the crew of the aircraft, which included 5 Iranian citizens and 14 Venezuelan citizens, from leaving the country. The restrictive measure was determined by checking their connections with terrorists. All of them were subsequently released.

After the detention of the aircraft and crew, the US Department of Justice asked Argentine authorities to seize the Emtrasur aircraft, which was received from the Iranian Mahan Air, a company under US sanctions. In early January, an Argentine court granted the request of American justice to transfer the aircraft, and on February 12 it was delivered to the American state of Florida for subsequent disposal.