Twin powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on June 24, killing at least 188 people, injuring more than 1,520, and leaving tens of thousands missing or trapped under rubble. The disaster has dealt a severe blow to the country’s main international gateway, Simón Bolívar International Airport (Maiquetía/CCS), closing it indefinitely and disrupting hard-won efforts to restore global connectivity after the ouster of former President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.
The back-to-back quakes (a magnitude 7.2 foreshock followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock centered near San Felipe in Yaracuy state) sent violent shaking across Caracas and La Guaira. Buildings collapsed in neighborhoods like Los Palos Grandes, Altamira, and Chacao. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a nationwide state of emergency and designated La Guaira a disaster zone, warning that the death toll would likely rise as rescue operations continue.
Inside the airport terminal, passengers and staff captured harrowing footage of the ground lurching violently. Ceiling panels collapsed, debris rained down, and thick dust filled the halls as people scrambled for safety. Videos verified by multiple outlets show panic, with some fleeing as sections of the roof gave way.
The damage extended to critical airside infrastructure. The primary runway (10R/28L) suffered severe cracks, prompting Venezuela’s civil aviation authority (INAC) to issue a NOTAM closing it until at least July 2, 2026. The secondary runway (09/27) is subject to restrictions. The entire airport has been shuttered for commercial operations, with all flights canceled or diverted. Humanitarian and rescue flights are being redirected to alternate sites, such as the El Libertador air base in Maracay.
Engineering assessments are ongoing, but visible terminal destruction and runway cracks indicate that full restoration will take weeks or longer. A damaged terminal alone does not automatically close runways, but combined failures in passenger processing, safety systems, and pavement integrity have grounded the facility.
Just days before the disaster, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had continued easing sanctions to support the transition. In late January and February 2026, OFAC issued General Licenses 46, 47, and 48, allowing U.S. companies to resume oil trade, exports, and related activities with PdVSA. Sanctions on Acting President Delcy Rodríguez were lifted in April.
Most recently, on June 18, OFAC issued General License 59. This license specifically authorizes U.S. persons to supply goods, technology, software, and services for the maintenance, repair, upgrade, and airworthiness of aircraft operated by Venezuela’s state-owned airline Conviasa. The move was widely seen as a key step toward restoring Venezuela’s aviation sector and broader international connectivity.
The timing makes the airport’s closure especially damaging: just as legal and financial barriers were being removed to revive air services and aircraft operations, physical infrastructure has been knocked out…
