The United States appears on the brink of a major confrontation with Venezuela after President Donald Trump ordered a full closure of the airspace over and around the country.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned:
“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
This move follows a warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to international carriers last week about a “potentially hazardous situation” when flying over Venezuelan airspace due to “worsening security conditions and heightened military activity.”
In response, Venezuela revoked operating permits for six major international airlines, including Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Colombia’s Avianca, Chile and Brazil’s LATAM, Brazil’s Gol, and Turkish Airlines. The Venezuelan civil aviation authority accused the carriers of supporting “the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government.”
The revocations came after several airlines suspended flights to Venezuela between November 24 and 28 following the FAA advisory. Marisela de Loaiza, president of Venezuela’s Airlines Association, noted that the FAA has no authority over Venezuelan airspace.
The rising tensions coincide with an increased US military presence off the coast of South America, including thousands of troops, a nuclear submarine, and the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier accompanied by a group of warships. The buildup follows a series of strikes on vessels in international waters near Venezuela and Colombia, which have reportedly killed at least 83 people. The US claims the targeted boats were involved in drug trafficking, though critics, including Latin American leaders, international law experts, and families of the deceased, argue most of the victims were fishermen. Some members of the US Congress have also called the attacks extrajudicial killings.
Concerns are mounting that the airspace closure could be a precursor to a military strike aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has repeatedly denied drug trafficking allegations and accused the US of fabricating a perpetual conflict against his government.
As tensions grow, analysts warn that any military action could destabilize the Caribbean region, disrupt international trade routes, and further strain relations between the US and Latin American nations.
