Venezuela has strongly criticized US President Donald Trump, labeling his assertion that the airspace surrounding the country should be deemed closed as a “colonialist threat.” The Venezuelan foreign ministry described Trump’s remarks as “another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people.”
While the United States lacks legal authority to unilaterally close another nation’s airspace, Trump’s statement on social media could introduce travel uncertainties and deter airlines from operating in the region. The US has recently increased its military presence in the Caribbean, a move officials argue is aimed at combating drug trafficking, though President Nicolás Maduro has dismissed these claims, viewing them instead as a strategy to undermine his government.
Trump’s controversial announcement and congressional reactions
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated:
“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding this matter.
As Trump’s rhetoric escalates, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed concern over his failure to seek legislative approval for such threats. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer voiced his apprehension on X, stating, “President Trump’s reckless actions towards Venezuela are pushing America closer and closer to another costly foreign war.” He emphasized that under the Constitution, declaring war is a power reserved for Congress. Similarly, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a close ally of Trump, reminded the electorate that “Congress has the sole power to declare war.”
Heightened tensions and military maneuvers
Trump’s comments coincided with a warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding increased military activities in and around Venezuela. In response, Venezuela’s foreign ministry announced that the US had “unilaterally suspended” its weekly flights aimed at repatriating migrants, calling on the global community to reject what it views as “immoral acts of aggression.”
In a show of military readiness, Venezuela conducted exercises along its coast, with state television broadcasting images of anti-aircraft systems and other military equipment being maneuvered.
Additionally, Venezuela has barred six significant international airlines—Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca, and Turkish Airlines—from landing due to their failure to resume flights within a stipulated 48-hour timeframe.
In a significant military buildup, the US has deployed the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, along with approximately 15,000 troops, marking the most extensive deployment in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama. US officials maintain that this military presence is intended to tackle drug trafficking.
Trump further threatened that US actions to curb Venezuelan drug trafficking “by land” would commence “very soon.” The US military has reportedly conducted numerous strikes on vessels alleged to be transporting drugs, resulting in over 80 fatalities, although they have not provided evidence to substantiate claims that these boats were indeed carrying narcotics.
The Venezuelan government contends that the true objective of US actions is to remove Maduro from power, whose re-election last year was widely criticized by opposition groups and various nations as fraudulent. Additionally, the US has designated the Cartel de los Soles—a group it claims is led by Maduro—as a foreign terrorist organization, a classification that grants US law enforcement and military entities broader authority to engage with and dismantle the group.
In response to this designation, the Venezuelan foreign ministry has “categorically, firmly, and absolutely rejected” it. Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s interior and justice minister, who is alleged to be a prominent member of the cartel, has long dismissed it as an “invention.” The US State Department, however, asserts that the Cartel de los Soles is real and has “corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary.”