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The Venezuelan state airline Conviasa announced on June 29 the temporary suspension of its flights on the Caracas–Havana–Caracas route, as a direct consequence of the closure of the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24.
In an official statement published by the José Martí International Airport in Havana on its Facebook page, the airline explained that "due to the earthquakes that occurred on June 24th, operations at Maiquetía 'Simón Bolívar' International Airport have been suspended," which also requires rescheduling the Caracas–Santa Lucía (Mexico)–Caracas route.
The measure came into effect immediately and will last "for an estimated period of fifteen (15) days or until the relevant authorities fully enable operations at the aforementioned airport terminal," according to the text of the statement.
The origin of the crisis is the double earthquake with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 registered on June 24 at 6:04 PM local time, with epicenters in the state of Yaracuy and in areas near Morón, in Carabobo, classified as the strongest earthquake in Venezuela in over 125 years.
Maiquetía Airport, the main air entry and exit point for the country, experienced roof collapses, falling walls and windows, cracks on the main runway, and damage to airline counters, which forced its indefinite closure. Other companies such as Iberia, Air Europa, Copa Airlines, and American Airlines also canceled their operations to Caracas.
The human toll of the disaster is devastating. As of June 30, official figures reported between 1,719 and 1,943 fatalities, over 5,000 injured, and approximately 16,000 displaced. The UN reported the collapse of more than 100 buildings just in La Guaira, the coastal city most affected, while NASA estimated that nearly 59,000 buildings could be destroyed based on satellite assessments. The United Nations Development Program estimated preliminary damages of 6.7 billion dollars.
Until this Wednesday, Maiquetía airport remained closed with no official date for reopening, and repair work had only just begun. Since the main earthquake, more than 512 aftershocks have been recorded, including one with a magnitude of 4.6 on Monday in the Caraballeda area of La Guaira state.
The suspension directly impacts Cuban and Venezuelan passengers who rely on this route, at a time when Cuba is already experiencing a severe international air connectivity crisis. This is not the first time that Conviasa has interrupted this service: in February 2026, it suspended flights to Cuba due to a shortage of Jet A-1 fuel at the island's airports, and in October 2025, it did the same as a result of Hurricane Melissa.
As long as the Maiquetía airport does not regain full operations, the route between Caracas and Havana will remain canceled, with neither party offering a specific date for resumption.
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