Caracas [EFE / AP]. The government of Venezuela announced on Monday the 90-day suspension of operations in the country of the Portuguese flag carrier TAP Air Portugal, “in safety guard” and after the opening of an investigation for the alleged entry of explosives on a flight of this company.
“Due to the serious irregularities committed on flight TP173, and in compliance with the national civil aviation regulations, the operations of the TAP airline are suspended for 90 days”, said on Twitter the Minister of Transportation of Venezuela, Hipólito Abreu.
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According to the official, the measure is taken in a “precautionary” and “safeguarding the safety” of civil aviation Venezuela.
TAP Air Portugal transported last week to the opposition leader Juan Guaidó from Lisbon to the South American country after an international tour.
The announcement comes six after the uncle’s arrest of GuaidóJuan José Márquez, who was arrested at the Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía International Airport shortly after arriving on the flight of TAP next to his nephew.
Juan Guaidó returned last week to Venezuela aboard a plane of the TAP Air Portugal company. (AFP / Yuri CORTEZ). A local court ordered Márquez to be detained while facing a process for trying to introduce “dangerous material,” said his lawyer, Joel Garcia.
The executive vice president of the country, Delcy Rodríguez, said, also on Twitter, that the 90-day suspension operates “without prejudice to fines and administrative procedures that may take place” against the Portuguese airline.
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Minutes before this announcement, Abreu himself had said in an appearance before the press, in which he did not accept questions, that Venezuela evaluated a battery of sanctions against TAP for alleged security failures on flight TP173, which arrived in Caracas from Lisbon last Tuesday.
So, Juan Guaidó, whom more than 50 countries recognize as interim president of VenezuelaHe returned to the country with his uncle, Juan José Márquez, after an international tour of more than three weeks.
The government of Nicolás Maduro said that same day that Guaido’s uncle, who was arrested, transported synthetic explosives, undeclared bulletproof vests and a plan, written in English, to commit attacks in the country.
“These types of failures threaten aeronautical safety”Abreu told reporters. “For us this is an element of great concern, since in recent times the national aeronautical system has worked hard to improve what our safety levels are”he added.
Guaidó He rejected the accusations against his uncle last Saturday and warned that “it is impossible to place explosive material on a European commercial line”
Márquez’s arrest was condemned by the United States and Portugal who considered the action as an “attempt to intimidate.”
On the other hand, Venezuela He delivered a protest note to France over the conduct of that country’s ambassador to Caracas, Romain Nadal, when he went to the Maiquetía International Airport on February 11 to receive Guaidó.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Nadal’s behavior is a “clear strategy of provocation, interference and interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela” and accused the diplomat of making “abusive use” of the privileges given by local authorities and to violate international conventions.
TAP, founded in 1945, offers flights to 93 destinations, including Venezuela, where there is an important Lusitanian community.
It is currently part of the Star Alliance – together with 26 other airlines – which operates more than 18,000 flights every day.
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