Venezuela has condemned Donald Trump’s claim that its airspace should be considered closed, describing the remark as “illegal aggression against the Venezuelan nation.”
Tension Between US and Venezuela
Venezuela’s foreign ministry has condemned Donald Trump’s statement that the country’s airspace should be deemed closed, labeling it “another manifestation of exaggerated, illegal and unjustified aggression.”
The ministry stressed that such claims contradict international law and violate Venezuelan sovereignty. Trump, on Truth Social, urged airlines, pilots, drug traffickers and human traffickers to treat Venezuelan airspace as entirely closed.
FAA Warning and Airline Restrictions
Prior to Trump’s post, the US Federal Aviation Administration warned carriers of “increased military activity in Venezuela and its surroundings.”
In response, Caracas banned six major airlines—including Iberia, Turkish Airlines and Avianca— from landing after they failed to resume flights within the specified timeframe.
US Military Buildup Near Venezuela
The United States has expanded its military presence in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, citing drug‑trafficking operations, deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford and roughly 15,000 troops.
This marks the largest regional operation since the 1989 Panama invasion. Trump told US soldiers he would also counter the nation from the ground.
Alleged Drug Attacks and Political Fallout
US sources say that since September at least 21 drug‑trafficking cargo flights were attacked, killing 83 people, mainly Venezuelan citizens, though no public evidence of illegal transport is presented.
President Maduro accuses the United States of attempting to depose him and denounces Washington’s designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, claiming the cartel has corrupted the army, intelligence, legislature and judiciary.