US president declares Venezuela airspace ‘closed’
Venezuela, which views the buildup as part of a U.S. bid to topple President Maduro, denounced Trump’s warning as a “colonialist threat”
WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – U.S. President Donald Trump has declared Venezuelan airspace “closed,” escalating tensions with Caracas and fueling fears of imminent military action amid a sharp rise in US military deployments in the Caribbean.
Venezuela, which views the buildup as part of a U.S. bid to topple President Nicolas Maduro, denounced Trump’s warning as a “colonialist threat.”
“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers,” Trump wrote on social media, “please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
He offered no further explanation, but after months of deadly U.S. strikes on alleged drug-running boats, speculation is growing that Washington may be preparing operations on Venezuelan soil.
The announcement came days after U.S. aviation regulators urged airlines to use heightened caution near Venezuela, prompting several major carriers to suspend flights. Caracas responded by banning the airlines, accusing them of joining “state terrorism” promoted by Washington.
Venezuela’s foreign ministry condemned Trump’s remarks as “extravagant, illegal, and unjustified aggression,” warning the airspace restrictions could halt repatriation flights of Venezuelan migrants from the United States.
On Saturday, Venezuela’s military conducted coastal exercises, with state TV showing deployments of anti-aircraft weapons and other artillery.
Although Trump has not explicitly threatened to remove Maduro by force, he said efforts to stop Venezuelan drug trafficking “by land” would begin “very soon.”
Maduro’s re-election last year was widely rejected internationally as fraudulent, and Washington accuses him of leading a terrorist-designated drug cartel.
The US buildup in the region includes the deployment of its largest aircraft carrier, as well as frequent flights by fighter jets and bombers off Venezuela’s coast. U.S. media reported that Trump and Maduro recently spoke, discussing a possible meeting and even potential amnesty terms if Maduro stepped down.
Amid fears of U.S. military action, members of Congress from both parties have criticized Trump for acting without legislative approval.
“President Trump’s reckless actions towards Venezuela are pushing America closer and closer to another costly foreign war,” said Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer. Several Republicans echoed the concern.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration faces pressure over reports that the US military launched a second missile at survivors of a September strike on an alleged drug vessel—a move experts say could constitute a war crime. Congressional committees have announced investigations.
The U.S. anti-trafficking campaign, launched in September, has resulted in at least 83 deaths in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific. So far, the U.S. has released no evidence that the targeted boats were involved in drug trafficking or posed any threat.
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