Trump Calls for Airspace Closure Over Venezuela
On Saturday, President Donald Trump urged airlines and pilots to consider closing airspace over Venezuela. In a post on Truth Social, he stated, “To all airlines, pilots, drug traffickers, and human traffickers, please consider a complete closure of the airspace over and around Venezuela. Thank you for your consideration in this matter!”
Since 2019, direct flights from U.S. airlines to Venezuela have been suspended due to the country’s socialist regime, although some flights still operate over the region.
Trump recently communicated with military officials on Thanksgiving Day, announcing that ground attacks against Venezuelan drug trafficking would commence “soon.” He declared that the administration has been actively working to counter Venezuelan drug traffickers.
In his remarks, Trump acknowledged the efforts troops have been making: “In recent weeks, you have been working to stop Venezuelan drug traffickers, and there are many of them. Of course, there aren’t that many people coming in from the sea anymore,” he remarked. “You’ve probably noticed that people don’t want sea deliveries. We’re going to start stopping land deliveries as well.” He emphasized the urgency, warning, “Stop sending poison to our country.”
According to reports, Trump has mentioned potential talks with Nicolás Maduro regarding Venezuela’s governance. In an earlier discussion, he concluded that Maduro had sacrificed a lot to maintain control, indicating that the Venezuelan leader is hesitant about engaging with the U.S.
Responding to questions about contacts between Maduro’s regime and the U.S., Trump remarked, “He gave everything. You’re right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want anything to do with the United States.”
This past Monday, U.S. officials labeled the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, citing its involvement in drug trafficking led by Venezuelan government and military officials.
Under Trump’s directive, the military had previously conducted operations against drug-smuggling vessels linked to terrorist groups. Such measures recently resulted in the death of four individuals associated with drug trafficking near Venezuela.
Videos circulated showing the destruction of one of these drug smuggling ships. With heightened military actions and recent FAA warnings, airlines have started to cancel flights to Venezuela amidst concerns stemming from Trump’s announcements.
