CARACAS — Venezuela said on Monday it would suspend TAP Air Portugal flights into and out of the country for 90 days, accusing the carrier of allowing opposition leader Juan Guaido's uncle to bring explosives onto a flight to Caracas last week. Announcing the measure on Twitter, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez left open the possibility of applying fines and other measures in the future. Guaido returned to Venezuela's main airport on a TAP flight last Tuesday after a three-week international tour aimed at drumming up support for his campaign to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro, who has overseen an economic collapse and is accused of corruption and human rights violations. Authorities then detained Guaido's uncle, who was traveling with him on the flight from Portugal, accusing him of bringing explosive material into the country. Guaido, who is recognized as Venezuela's legitimate president by more than 50 countries, dismissed those allegations as baseless.

Source: International New York Times February 17, 2020 20:48 UTC