A new layer of tension settled over relations between Washington and Caracas after US President Donald Trump told pilots and airlines to treat the air corridor above Venezuela as entirely off limits.
His post, which spread quickly across social media, revived debate around US military activity in the Caribbean and Venezuela’s recent steps to restrict access to its airports.
“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY,” Trump wrote, a statement that caused confusion because the US cannot legally declare such a closure over another country’s territory. Still, the message may influence flight decisions, especially at a time when airlines are already cautious about the region.
The remarks were issued as the US expands its military footprint near Venezuela. American officials say the operation is aimed at blocking drug movements linked to the country.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly dismissed these claims, arguing that Washington is using drug accusations as a pretext to push for his removal. So far, officials in Caracas have not responded to Trump’s latest warning, and the White House has not replied to questions about the post.
Earlier in the week, the US Federal Aviation Administration alerted carriers to “heightened military activity in and around Venezuela,” urging them to monitor the risks.
That alert followed Venezuela’s move to stop six international airlines; Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca and Turkish Airlines from landing after they missed a 48-hour deadline to restart flights.
The ban has added to the country’s growing isolation and reduced travel options.
At sea, the US has deployed the USS Gerald Ford, its largest aircraft carrier, along with about 15,000 troops. Washington says the operation is focused entirely on stopping drug routes, and officials describe it as the biggest regional deployment since the 1989 Panama operation.
On Thursday, Trump said the plan to block drug trafficking “by land” would begin “very soon.”
US forces say they have launched at least 21 strikes on boats they claim were carrying drugs, leaving more than 80 people dead. However, no evidence has been made public to prove that the targeted vessels were transporting drugs.
These actions have deepened the belief among Venezuelan officials that the US intends to unseat Maduro, whose most recent election has been rejected by his rivals and a number of foreign governments.
Washington also designated Cartel de los Soles — which it accuses Maduro and senior officials of leading — as a foreign terrorist group. The label broadens the ability of US bodies to act against the group. Venezuela’s foreign ministry has “categorically, firmly, and absolutely rejected” the decision, while Interior and Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello has long described the group as an “invention.”
The US state department says the cartel is real and has “corrupted” the country’s institutions.
