The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday said that it issued a series of aviation safety warnings, advising airlines to exercise caution while operating over Central America and parts of South America due to the risk of potential ‘military activity’ and GPS signal interference.The agency said it released multiple Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) covering Mexico, several Central American nations, Ecuador, Colombia and sections of airspace over the eastern Pacific Ocean. The advisories came into effect on Friday and will remain valid for the next 60 days.
The US aviation authority posted multiple messages warning of a “potentially hazardous situation,” and to “exercise caution” in the airspace over Mexico and Central America due to “military activities”. “The FAA issued flight advisory Notices to Airmen for specified areas of Mexico, Central America, Panama, Bogota, Guayaquil and Mazatlan Oceanic Flight Regions, and in airspace within the eastern Pacific Ocean,” said an FAA spokesperson, as quoted by AFP.The FAA’s action comes amid rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and several global leaders, amid a significant US military buildup in the southern Caribbean. The Trump administration recently conducted military operations targeting Venezuela, including an operation in which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was seized. President Donald Trump has also publicly indicated that further military action remains under consideration, including potential operations involving Colombia.Last week, Trump claimed that drug cartels were effectively controlling Mexico and suggested that the US could carry out strikes on land targets to counter organised crime groups. The remarks were among several recent statements pointing to an increased willingness by Washington to deploy military force in the region.In the aftermath of the Venezuela operation, the FAA restricted commercial flights across parts of the Caribbean, prompting major airlines to cancel hundreds of services. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told Reuters earlier this week that the agency had closely coordinated with the US military in advance of the operation.
