US President Donald Trump on Saturday declared that the airspace above and around Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety,” an abrupt announcement that generated uncertainty in Washington and heightened tension in Caracas.
Posting on his Truth Social account, Trump wrote: “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
The declaration reportedly caught even US officials off guard. Government sources who spoke to Reuters said they were unaware of any military operation or policy directive to enforce such a closure. The Pentagon did not comment, and the White House offered no further clarification.
In a swift response, Venezuela’s government denounced Trump’s statement as “a colonialist threat” and an unlawful act that violated the country’s sovereignty.
“The US president’s post represents a hostile, unilateral and arbitrary act incompatible with the principles of international law,” the government said.
Military analysts also questioned the feasibility of the announcement. Retired US. Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula noted that enforcing a no-fly zone over Venezuela would require extensive planning and significant military assets. “The devil’s in the details,” he said.
Trump’s declaration comes amid escalating US pressure on President Nicolás Maduro, whom Washington accuses of enabling drug trafficking operations targeting Americans. Maduro has repeatedly denied involvement in illicit activities.
Reuters previously reported that the Trump administration has considered options ranging from intensified military strikes on suspected drug vessels to covert CIA operations — and even an overt attempt to unseat Maduro. The US has already conducted months of maritime strikes on alleged drug boats off Venezuela’s coast following a major military buildup in the Caribbean.
Trump told US service members earlier in the week that the United States would “very soon” begin land operations to stop suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers.
Venezuela’s government also noted that Trump’s declaration effectively suspends deportation flights that have returned nearly 14,000 Venezuelans from the US in recent months, a key component of Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Although Maduro has accused the US of imperialism, his government has avoided naming Trump directly in recent statements, a strategy that diplomatic observers say may be an attempt to avoid further escalation. Mentions of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio — once a focal point of Venezuelan criticism — have also declined.
Since the US began bombing suspected drug boats, authorities in Venezuela’s northeastern Sucre state have intensified surveillance, increasing security patrols and contributing to heightened fear among locals. GPS disruptions have also been reported across parts of the country in recent weeks.
Trump’s announcement came days after the US Federal Aviation Administration warned airlines of a “potentially hazardous situation” when flying over Venezuela due to rising military activity. Venezuela has since revoked operating rights for six international airlines that had halted flights following the FAA advisory.
As both nations navigate an increasingly volatile standoff, Trump’s vague but dramatic declaration has introduced new uncertainty into an already fraught geopolitical landscape.
Melissa Enoch
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