The United States warned of risks to airspace due to military activity in several areas of the American continent

 

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a 60-day warning about potential hazards for aircraft in regions near Mexico and other countries due to military maneuvers and navigation system failures.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning Friday regarding military activity in the airspace of several regions, primarily near Mexico and various countries in Central and South America. The advisory, which will be in effect for 60 days starting January 16, 2026, urges U.S. air operators to exercise extreme caution due to potentially hazardous situations that could also affect satellite navigation systems.

The FAA detailed that the affected areas include flight information regions over the Gulf of California in Mexico, Central America, Panama, Bogotá, Guayaquil, and Mazatlán, as well as portions of airspace in the eastern Pacific. An agency spokesperson emphasized that the risks affect aircraft at all altitudes, both during overflight and during arrival and departure phases, due to the possibility of interference with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and the presence of military aircraft that could be operating without notification or with their transponders disabled.

The FAA warning comes amid a build-up of U.S. military activity in the region. President Donald Trump announced on January 8 his intention to “initiate ground attacks” against drug cartels, after having ordered previous operations against vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific, which, according to his statements, began on September 2 and have left at least 107 dead. Trump stated in an interview with Fox News that these actions reduced drug trafficking by boat in the area to virtually zero and explained his purpose of "starting to strike on land," noting that "the cartels are controlling Mexico."

The US security strategy has also included the military operation dubbed "Absolute Resolve," in which the US military captured then-Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Caracas on January 3. They are currently facing trial in New York on charges of drug trafficking and other alleged crimes. Following the operation, Trump declared that the fight against drug trafficking was the primary reason for the capture and extradition of Maduro and Flores to the United States.

Washington's actions have generated reactions in the region. President Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted her government's efforts in combating drug trafficking and, after a telephone conversation with Trump last week, reiterated Mexico's willingness to collaborate, while also emphasizing the importance of national sovereignty. The two countries will hold a bilateral security meeting on January 23, according to an announcement by the US State Department. An official statement stressed that the inter-ministerial security group must maintain concrete actions to strengthen cooperation and achieve significant results against the cartels.

Otros países como Colombia también han mostrado inquietud ante la presión de Washington. El presidente Gustavo Petro, tras un año de tensiones diplomáticas con Trump, sostuvo una llamada en la que incluso propuso la posibilidad de ataques aéreos conjuntos contra la guerrilla del Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), considerado “narcoterrorista” por Estados Unidos. El líder del ELN, Antonio García, respondió proponiendo una alianza de guerrillas colombianas para enfrentar a Washington.

Estados Unidos comunicó al Congreso que considera estar en “conflicto armado” con los narcotraficantes, lo que ha generado críticas de algunos legisladores. No obstante, esta semana el Congreso no logró limitar los “poderes de guerra” del presidente respecto a Venezuela, debido a la oposición republicana en el Senado.