UPDATE: A Texas lawmaker is currently stranded in the Caribbean after U.S. airstrikes in Caracas, Venezuela, led to a grounding of all flights in and out of the region. State Rep. Venton Jones (D-Dallas) and his partner, Gregory, are waiting for clarity on when they can return home after their travel plans were abruptly halted.
The situation unfolded on Saturday morning, July 15, 2025, when Jones took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to inform followers of the ongoing crisis. The sudden airstrikes have resulted in all aircraft being prohibited from flying to or from Venezuela and the surrounding Caribbean islands, including where Jones and Gregory were vacationing in Sint Maarten.
“We were supposed to leave St. Maarten today, but due to the air strike that the President ordered overnight, all travel to/from the Caribbean is grounded,” Jones posted. He expressed concern over the situation, stating that hotels and flights were already at full capacity due to the holiday season, anticipating significant delays of at least a week.
Jones’s emotional plea for prayers highlights the human impact of this developing story. “Right now we are working on lodging with an expectation of being here until air travel is allowed. That’s what we know right now,” he added.
The airstrikes were part of a broader operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, announced by President Donald Trump in a morning social media post. Maduro and Flores are expected to face charges in the United States following an indictment in New York.
Explosions and low-flying aircraft were reported throughout Caracas, causing power outages in various parts of the city. The strikes, described as a culmination of ongoing U.S. efforts to apply pressure on the Maduro regime, have sparked mixed reactions among Texas officials. Republican leaders, including Sen. Ted Cruz, have praised Trump’s actions as necessary, while other Democratic voices raise concerns over the legality and implications of the military intervention.
In a news conference later that day, Trump stated, “We’re going to run” Venezuela following the successful operation. He claimed that an American presence was already established in the country, though immediate evidence of U.S. control was not visible.
As the situation continues to evolve, the implications for travelers like Jones and Gregory remain uncertain. With a travel ban now in effect, many are left wondering how long it will take for normalcy to return to the skies of the Caribbean.
What to watch for: Updates on the status of flights and lodging in the Caribbean, along with potential reactions from global leaders regarding the U.S. military actions in Venezuela.
