By: The Trek News Desk
Venezuela has sharply condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent statement declaring the airspace above the country “completely closed,” calling the remark an act rooted in “colonial intimidation.” Officials in Caracas argue that the statement lacks any legal foundation and represents yet another attempt to pressure the Maduro government.
Trump, writing on Truth Social, urged “all airlines, pilots, drug traffickers, and human traffickers” to treat Venezuelan airspace and the surrounding region as shut down entirely. While the intent behind the message remains unclear, analysts say the post has already triggered changes in aviation activity. Several carriers suspended their flights to Venezuela after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned of “increased military activity” in the area. Caracas later revoked the take-off and landing rights of those airlines.
Rising U.S.–Venezuela Tensions
Venezuelan authorities accuse Washington of expanding its military footprint in the Caribbean over recent months. According to officials in Caracas, the U.S. has carried out more than 21 maritime strike operations, allegedly targeting drug-trafficking vessels, operations that Venezuela claims killed more than 80 people and were part of an effort to destabilise the Maduro administration.
The United States has deployed the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, along with about 15,000 troops, positioning them within reach of Venezuelan territory. This buildup marks the biggest U.S. military presence in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama.
Trump recently suggested that a new phase of ground operations aimed at combating alleged Venezuelan drug routes would begin “very soon.”
Political Blowback in Washington
Trump’s statements have sparked resistance not only from Democrats but also from several members of his own party. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned on X that the president’s actions were “pushing America dangerously close to another costly foreign conflict,” reminding the public that the U.S. Constitution grants Congress, not the president, the power to declare war.
Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, once considered a staunch Trump ally, echoed the same constitutional argument: “Reminder: Only Congress can authorise war.”
Venezuela Appeals to the International Community
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has urged the United Nations and global institutions to reject what it describes as an “immoral act of aggression.” Meanwhile, the country’s armed forces conducted coastal military drills, with state television broadcasting images of anti-aircraft systems and heavy artillery being positioned along the shoreline.
Dispute Over ‘Cartel of the Suns’ Terror Designation
Tensions escalated further after Washington designated Cartel de los Soles, a group it links directly to President Nicolás Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organisation. Caracas dismissed the accusation as “fabricated, baseless, and politically motivated.”
The designation allows U.S. agencies expanded authority to target the group, both financially and militarily.
A Divided Latin America
The response across Latin America has been mixed. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, himself often at odds with U.S. policy, accused Washington of attempting to dominate the region “through violence.”
Other leaders in the hemisphere, however, have expressed support for Trump’s tougher stance on Venezuela.
Source: News Agencies
