Amid heightened diplomatic friction, U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a directive for all airlines and individuals to consider the airspace over and around Venezuela as completely shut down. The directive was posted on the social media platform Truth Social, marking a significant move in the ongoing dispute between the United States and Venezuela.
This declaration coincides with escalating U.S. pressure on Caracas, particularly concerning accusations of international drug trafficking. The U.S. administration has undertaken robust actions, including naval deployments and the destruction of Venezuelan vessels, which Caracas has denounced as part of a broader strategy to engineer a change in government and control Venezuela’s valuable oil resources. President Nicolás Maduro has directly accused the U.S. of employing drug interdiction efforts as a pretext for regime change.
President Trump’s firm stance implies a potential disruption to air travel and a further tightening of international scrutiny over Venezuela. The U.S. has defended its assertive posture by referencing a state of ‘non-international armed conflict’ and the necessity of using force for self-defense against purported threats, suggesting that its interventions have prevented significant harm to American citizens.