Venezuelans Stranded in Madrid Airport Face Desperate Conditions as Flights Remain Canceled
Madrid, Spain – December 2, 2025 – Dozens of Venezuelan passengers remain stranded at Madrid’s Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, facing dwindling resources and uncertainty after their flights home were canceled by the airline Láser. The situation, now stretching into days, has sparked a wave of support from the Venezuelan diaspora who are attempting to provide aid.
Passengers, including Carlos Azuaje who was originally scheduled to travel on November 26th, returned to the airport on Monday hoping for alternative arrangements. “you travel with an established budget and we have already run out of money and they also gave us the option to pay for some flights that supposedly leave on December 3. You don’t even have a guarantee that you will be able to travel,” Azuaje stated.
The stranded Venezuelans are desperate to return home, but face meaningful hurdles.Many countries require visas for Venezuelan citizens, blocking potential connecting flights. The cost of alternative routes, ranging from 900 to 2,000 euros, is also prohibitive for many, compounded by the visa requirements.
Support has been pouring in from the Venezuelan community, with donations being collected to provide food for those stuck at the airport. Passengers have been receiving empanadas from the Venezuelan restaurant Empanadish.
The situation is further elaborate by a lack of interaction from the airline. Passengers report being disconnected when attempting to seek assistance. A representative from Láser was seen at the airport on Tuesday, but offered no immediate solutions.
The plight extends beyond Venezuelan travelers. A group of Colombians with connecting flights from Madrid to Bogotá on Estelar also discovered their flight was canceled despite prior notification via email. Pilar Barón, one of the affected Colombian passengers, urgently needs to reach Colombia before December 4th to be with her daughter who is undergoing surgery. “As soon as I found out what was happening, I contacted them. I come from Barcelona to Madrid to take this flight, and here I have no one to stay with. I just made a claim because the airline has abandoned us. We don’t have food and what these people do is hang up on me,” Barón said.
Passengers are increasingly concerned about how long they will be allowed to remain at the airport, with no clear timeline for resolution from the airlines. The situation remains fluid, with those affected left in a state of limbo.
