Amid escalating tensions, Donald Trump has announced the complete closure of the airspace above and around Venezuela. The declaration, made via Truth Social, warned all airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers to avoid the airspace in question.
Initial reports indicate that the airspace closure has been effective, with minimal air traffic observed over Venezuela and none over Caracas as of 12:15 pm local time. Venezuela has not yet responded to this development.
Concerns are mounting that the extensive US military presence in the region, including troops, a nuclear submarine, and warships, could be utilized by Trump to launch an attack on Venezuela with the aim of removing President Nicolas Maduro from power.
Prior to this, the US Federal Aviation Administration had cautioned major airlines about potential risks when flying over Venezuela due to heightened military activities and security concerns in the region.
Following these events, Venezuela’s civil aviation authority announced the revocation of flight permits for several airlines, including Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Colombia’s Avianca, Chile’s LATAM, Brazil’s Gol, and Turkish Airlines. The authority cited their involvement in what they termed as “actions of state terrorism” supported by the US government.
The rising tensions between the US and Venezuela coincide with increased US military presence in South America and recent military actions targeting vessels in international waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in the deaths of at least 83 individuals.
The US has alleged that the targeted boats were involved in drug trafficking, while critics, including Latin American leaders and international law experts, have denounced the attacks as extrajudicial killings, contending that most of the casualties were innocent fishermen.
Accusations of drug trafficking have been exchanged between the US and Maduro, with the Venezuelan president accusing the US of fabricating a pretext for ongoing hostilities against his regime. Maduro has also accused the US of intensifying its efforts to justify potential intervention in Venezuela.