Hundreds of flights in Puerto Rico and in the Caribbean have been canceled on Jan. 3 after the United States conducted large-scale strikes in Venezuela and captured the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro.
The airspace in Puerto Rico has been restricted and flights from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in the island’s capital, San Juan, have been canceled, the airport said in a statement. Flights will be suspended until 1 a.m. local time on Sunday, Jan. 4. At least 150 flights heading out of that airport, which is the Caribbean's busiest hub, have been canceled, according to FlightAware. An additional 140 flights headed to San Juan were canceled.
Other airports in Puerto Rico, including those in Ceiba, Aguadilla, Ponce, Isla Grande, Vieques and Culebra, have canceled flights, according to Puerto Rico Ports Authority Executive Director Norberto Negrón Díaz.
Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González described the closure as a national security measure during a radio interview, as reported by local news outlet El Nuevo Día. She added that local agencies were coordinating with federal partners to manage airport and cargo operations.
Several airlines have said they have canceled flights to other locations in the Caribbean.
