U.S. President Donald Trump has declared all airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela closed, escalating tensions with Caracas as Washington intensifies operations targeting what it claims are drug trafficking networks in the region.
Trump issued the announcement in an all-caps message on Truth Social, offering no details about what “surrounding” airspace includes or how the directive will be enforced. He warned airlines, pilots, and alleged traffickers to avoid the area entirely.
The move follows a series of US military strikes since early September against small vessels in Caribbean and nearby international waters, actions Washington says are aimed at drug smuggling operations.
Media reports indicate more than 80 people have been killed in these attacks. In mid-November, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth launched Operation Southern Spear, deploying over a dozen US warships and 15,000 personnel to the region to target what Washington calls “narcoterrorist” networks.
Trump has long accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a major drug-trafficking organisation, recently raising the US bounty on Maduro to $50 million.
Maduro has repeatedly rejected the allegations as fabrications intended to justify regime-change efforts. He has warned the US against provoking “a crazy war” and placed Venezuela’s armed forces on high alert, with military exercises conducted in response to the growing American presence near its borders.
Just another warmonger who was demanding a ‘peace prize’ few months ago.
I hope China and Russia tell the smelly old Yanks to stick their declaration on airspace closures up their backside.