BREAKING: Donald Trump has announced that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela is now “closed in its entirety,” escalating fears of military confrontation as tensions rise in the region. This declaration comes amid a significant U.S. military build-up, raising alarms about potential armed conflict.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged, “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.” Initial reports indicate the airspace restriction has been effective, with no aircraft crossing Venezuelan territory and none recorded over Caracas as of 12:15 PM local time.
As of now, Venezuela has not issued an official response to Trump’s dramatic declaration. Concerns are mounting that Trump may utilize the substantial U.S. military presence in the region, which includes thousands of personnel, a nuclear submarine, and naval vessels escorting the USS Gerald R. Ford, to launch military action aimed at removing President Nicolas Maduro from power.
This latest announcement follows previous warnings from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which alerted major airlines to a “potentially hazardous situation” when operating flights over Venezuela due to a “worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around” the nation.
In a further escalation, Venezuela’s civil aviation authority announced on Wednesday that several major airlines, including Iberia, TAP, Avianca, LATAM, Gol, and Turkish Airlines, will have their authorization to operate flights into the country revoked. This decision was taken in response to these companies’ alleged participation in “the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government.”
The rising tensions coincide with the U.S. military presence off South America and a series of U.S. military actions targeting vessels in international waters off Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in at least 83 deaths. The U.S. claims these vessels were transporting drugs; however, critics, including Latin American leaders and some members of the U.S. Congress, have characterized these strikes as extrajudicial executions, asserting that most of those killed were fishermen.
Maduro has been charged by the U.S. with drug trafficking, while he accuses the U.S. government of “fabricating a new eternal war” against his administration. Maduro insists that the U.S. is ramping up its “excuses and lies” to justify intervention in Venezuela.
The situation remains fluid, and developments are expected to unfold rapidly. Watch for further updates as this story progresses and the implications of Trump’s declaration become clearer. The world is on alert as military tensions in the region escalate, and the international community is closely monitoring the unfolding crisis.
