Trump declares Venezuelan airspace closed
For weeks, US President Trump has been escalating his rhetoric towards Venezuela. Now he wants to ground all flights there. The South American country has reacted with outrage, calling it a “hostile act”.
US President Donald Trump has declared the airspace over and around Venezuela closed. Trump posted a warning on his social network, Truth Social, “to all airlines, pilots, drug traffickers, and human traffickers.” He urged them to “please consider the airspace over and around Venezuela in its entirety as closed.”
Venezuela condemned Trump’s message, calling it a “hostile act.” The Venezuelan government had previously revoked the operating licenses of six foreign airlines. Numerous international airlines had recently temporarily suspended their flights to Venezuela .
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued a warning for passengers flying to Caracas airport due to the poor security situation and increased military activity.
Threatening gestures towards Venezuela are increasing.
The US has been increasing pressure on Venezuela and its president, Nicolás Maduro, for months. This includes attacks on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean.
Since September, US forces have carried out at least 21 attacks on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific, resulting in the deaths of at least 83 people.
This is accompanied by a US military buildup in the region. Additional troops have been amassed, and the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has been withdrawn from the Mediterranean and redeployed to the region, accompanied by other warships and a long-range bomber.
According to the government in Washington, the operation is aimed at combating drug trafficking.
