FAA issues cautions for Pacific airspace near Mexico and parts of Latin America

The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday urged pilots to “exercise caution” when flying over portions of the Pacific Ocean adjacent to Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama, issuing seven notices to airmen covering those areas. The seven NOTAMs spanned waters abutting the four countries and were set to remain in place through March 17, a duration the FAA said suggested a prolonged period of possible military planning in the region.

The notices resembled advisories the agency issued last year around Venezuela and the Caribbean as the U.S. military stepped up a campaign of boat strikes targeting “what it said were drug smugglers,” and the FAA issued more urgent warnings earlier this year as the United States undertook an operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s leader.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Friday’s advisories. There have been several boat strikes in the Eastern Pacific in recent weeks, and representatives of U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Southern Command indicated they had not been aware of the FAA’s warnings before they were issued.

The Defense Department referred questions to the FAA. The New York Times reported that the United States is pressing Mexico to allow U.S. military forces to dismantle fentanyl labs and that U.S. officials want American forces to accompany the Mexican military on raids. Mr.

Key Topics

World, Federal Aviation Administration, Notams, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador