US President Donald Trump has warned airlines and pilots that Venezuela's airspace should be considered "closed" as tensions between the US and Venezuela escalate. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela is to be closed entirely, effectively shutting down all commercial flights in and out of the country.
Venezuela's government has strongly rejected this claim, calling it a "colonial threat" aimed at undermining its territorial integrity, aeronautical security, and full sovereignty. The Foreign Ministry described Trump's declaration as a "hostile, unilateral, and arbitrary act".
Despite this, flight-tracking data suggests that several planes remain above Venezuela's airspace on Saturday morning. This comes amid an already tense situation, with the US Federal Aviation Administration warning of "heightened military activity" in the area.
Just last week, Venezuela's civil aviation authority stripped takeoff and landing rights from six commercial carriers it accused of joining US efforts to combat state terrorism by suspending air operations. Meanwhile, Trump has hinted that the US may soon begin targeting alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on land, expanding its military operations in the region.
In a recent speech, Trump thanked the Air Force's 7th Bomb Wing for its work deterring Venezuelan drug traffickers, stating that "it's about 85% stopped by sea... and we'll be starting to stop them by land". He also noted that targeting traffickers on land would make it easier, but warned that this would start soon.
The US has been ramping up military pressure on Venezuela since early September, carrying out nearly two dozen strikes on vessels accused of carrying drugs, killing at least 82 people. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean last week as part of a buildup of US forces in the region that has not seen in decades.
Washington also designated the Cartel de los Soles, allegedly run by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization last week. Maduro denies any ties to the drug trade and accuses the US of "fabricating" a war against him.
Venezuela's government has strongly rejected this claim, calling it a "colonial threat" aimed at undermining its territorial integrity, aeronautical security, and full sovereignty. The Foreign Ministry described Trump's declaration as a "hostile, unilateral, and arbitrary act".
Despite this, flight-tracking data suggests that several planes remain above Venezuela's airspace on Saturday morning. This comes amid an already tense situation, with the US Federal Aviation Administration warning of "heightened military activity" in the area.
Just last week, Venezuela's civil aviation authority stripped takeoff and landing rights from six commercial carriers it accused of joining US efforts to combat state terrorism by suspending air operations. Meanwhile, Trump has hinted that the US may soon begin targeting alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on land, expanding its military operations in the region.
In a recent speech, Trump thanked the Air Force's 7th Bomb Wing for its work deterring Venezuelan drug traffickers, stating that "it's about 85% stopped by sea... and we'll be starting to stop them by land". He also noted that targeting traffickers on land would make it easier, but warned that this would start soon.
The US has been ramping up military pressure on Venezuela since early September, carrying out nearly two dozen strikes on vessels accused of carrying drugs, killing at least 82 people. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean last week as part of a buildup of US forces in the region that has not seen in decades.
Washington also designated the Cartel de los Soles, allegedly run by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization last week. Maduro denies any ties to the drug trade and accuses the US of "fabricating" a war against him.
I'm literally shaking right now just thinking about this!!! How dare Trump do that?! 
It's like he thinks he's some kind of dictator or something! Closing down Venezuela's airspace? Are you kidding me?! That's basically a war zone waiting to happen... and what really gets my goat is that he's doing it without even consulting the Venezuelan government first. Like, hello, diplomacy 101! 
It's like they're playing some kind of game of "chicken" up in the air. I just hope no one gets hurt... but honestly, it feels like this whole thing is just going to end in disaster. 
Can you even believe what's happening with Venezuela right now?! 
Trump is literally trying to strangle their airspace like it's some kind of parasite, and no one's doing anything about it! 
I mean, what's next? Is he gonna tell them they can't breathe or something?! 
. He thinks he's some kind of superhero, saving the world from "state terrorism" by locking down their airspace. Newsflash, dude: you're not that special 
. And what about Venezuela's sovereignty?! They have every right to defend themselves against these US aggression tactics.
We need to be having a serious conversation about diplomacy and understanding, not resorting to aggressive posturing and bullying. This whole situation is just getting more and more ridiculous by the minute 
.
! I'm trying to study for my exams and Trump just goes and does this... I mean, what's going on with Venezuela? 
I feel bad for the airlines and the people who depend on flying in and out of Venezuela... what are they supposed to do now?
I just wish we could all focus on finding solutions instead of escalating the situation. 
Can't they just talk it out or something? 
We need to calm down and think about the consequences of our actions before things spiral out of control 
that's like, what are people gonna do? just fly anyway? 
. And what about those six commercial carriers that got their wings clipped? Were they just scapegoats or is this some sort of pre-emptive strike? The more I read, the more I think there are a lot of moving parts here and not enough clarity 
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. And what about the Venezuelan people who rely on those flights to get around? It's just another example of how polarized politics can lead to real-world consequences 
anyway, i feel bad for venezuela, they're already struggling and this just adds more pressure... meanwhile, trump is over here flexing about his military might 
, but like for real though, what even is the point? 
Newsflash: Venezuela's airspace ain't going nowhere! 
, so now they're just making things worse. It's like, can't we all just get along? 
#VenezuelaCrisis #TrumpAndAviation #JustStopTheHostilities