Tensions between Washington and Caracas escalated on Saturday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the complete closure of all airspace connected to Venezuela.
In a post on X, Trump directed his message to “all airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers,” urging strict compliance with the new directive:
"Please consider the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety."
As of now, Venezuela has not issued an official response to the announcement.
This declaration comes after months of intensified U.S. military operations targeting what American authorities describe as Venezuelan-linked drug trafficking activities. These operations have included lethal strikes on vessels accused of smuggling narcotics, reportedly resulting in multiple casualties.
The campaign has attracted international scrutiny. United Nations experts have criticized the strikes as extrajudicial killings. Relations between the U.S. and the U.K. have been strained, with London recently suspending intelligence sharing to avoid being “complicit in the killings” or associated with actions exceeding the original cooperative mandate.
Last week, Trump suggested that American operations could expand further, hinting at potential pursuit of suspected traffickers on Venezuelan soil. President Nicolás Maduro dismissed the threats, asserting that his government would not bow to external pressure.
In August, the U.S. doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, citing allegations that he is “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world,” increasing the bounty from $25 million to $50 million.
Source: punchng.com
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