Family’s Puerto Rico Trip Turns Into Six Days of Hotel Couch Roulette Thanks to Maduro
KEY POINTS
- •Nilgen Velazco and her family were visiting her mother in Puerto Rico from December 12 to January 3 when their Frontier flight back to Colorado got canceled.
- •The cancellation was due to US military action capturing Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro, leading to mass flight cancellations at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport.
- •After spending hours rescheduling amid scarce seats, they secured tickets for a flight six days later, facing financial strain due to extra pet sitting, parking fees, and missed school.
On January 3rd, Nilgen Velazco, a brave 34-year-old on a quest from Colorado to Puerto Rico with husband Malcolm and their two kids (ages 8 and 4), planned a smooth 4 p.m. flight back home. Instead, she received an early-morning email from Frontier announcing a flight cancelation thanks to the US capturing Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro—a plot twist none saw coming while groggily packing. After an hour-long call, seats vanished faster than patience, but she managed to secure a flight which they hope stays above ground six days later. Meanwhile, their improvised long-term family Airbnb courtesy of mom and a car borrowed from a friend now stand in for a holiday resort as the Velazcos scramble to dodge extra pet sitter fees, nonrefundable preschool costs, missed standardized tests, and the mysterious economic black hole of airport parking. Not to mention the ominous backdrop of geopolitical tension threatening to turn Puerto Rico into an accidental war zone, all while their Christmas micro-budget takes a hit and sick leave abounds due to laptop deprivation.
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When your flight gets canceled because the US decided to play political chess with a dictator, and your 'vacation' suddenly includes extended family sleepovers and emotional hostage situations courtesy of international diplomacy.
Congratulations, Velazcos! You accidentally booked the deluxe geopolitical disruption package, now featuring surprise extended layovers and premium financial strain.
Who needs fancy resorts when you can experience the thrill of six unplanned nights in Puerto Rico airport parking lots, brought to you by international political drama?
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 1/3/2026 | Author: Lauren Crosby Medlicott
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