WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump states that the airspace over Venezuela should be considered closed. In a message on Truth Social, Trump addressed airlines, pilots, "drug dealers and human traffickers" directly, declaring that "the airspace above and around Venezuela is completely closed."
The statement comes at a time of rapidly escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela. Washington recently deployed an aircraft carrier to the region and carried out attacks on boats that the U.S. claims were transporting drugs.
Trump described those operations as "very successful" and announced that attacks on land targets could follow "in the short term." According to him, smugglers have already avoided the sea route and the U.S. will also "stop them overland."
The Trump administration presents these actions as an offensive against drug smuggling. In doing so, Washington claims that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro heads a "terrorist drug gang."
At the same time, the U.S. still does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate ruler of the oil-rich South American country, which he has governed since 2013.
Notably, Trump and Maduro recently had telephone contact, The New York Times reports based on sources. The possibility of a personal meeting was even reportedly discussed, though it remains unclear whether that prospect is concrete.
