María Corina Machado's flight blocked by denied landing permits

A private flight intended to transport Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado from Panama back to Venezuela failed to depart on Tuesday. According to sources familiar with the situation, the flight was blocked because Bonaire, Aruba, and Curacao denied requests for landing permits.

The flight crew had reportedly attempted to negotiate landing rights with several locations, including Trinidad and Tobago, but were unsuccessful. The Caribbean islands of Curacao, Bonaire, and Aruba serve as critical transit points for accessing Venezuelan territory due to their proximity to the coast.

Machado's team stated that this marks the third attempt to return to Venezuela from Panama this week. The flight was scheduled to depart from a small auxiliary airport in Panama City. Panama's Civil Aeronautics authority stated it has no jurisdiction over the matter.