US President Donald Trump has expressed that the airspace over Venezuela should be regarded as closed, directing airlines, pilots, and those involved in illegal activities to avoid the area. He made this statement via social media, although it is important to note that the US does not have the legal authority to close another country’s airspace. This declaration may create travel uncertainties and could discourage airlines from operating in the region.
Recent developments include an increase in the US military presence in the Caribbean, which officials have cited as a measure to combat drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has dismissed US allegations of drug trafficking, suggesting that they serve as a motive to destabilize his government. The Venezuelan government has not yet responded to Trump’s comments, and the White House has not provided a comment on related inquiries.
This situation follows a warning from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding “heightened military activity in and around Venezuela.” Concurrently, Venezuela has taken steps to ban six international airlines from landing due to non-compliance with a deadline to resume flights.
The US has mobilized the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier and approximately 15,000 troops close to Venezuela, marking one of the largest troop deployments in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama. Trump has indicated that actions to curb drug trafficking from Venezuela will commence shortly. The US claims to have conducted strikes on boats suspected of carrying drugs, resulting in significant casualties, although evidence supporting these allegations has not been presented.
In the diplomatic context, the US has designated the Cartel de los Soles, of which Maduro is alleged to be a leader, as a foreign terrorist organization. This designation expands the authority of US law enforcement and military agencies to target and dismantle such groups. Venezuela’s foreign ministry has rejected this classification, and Maduro’s alleged association with the cartel has been labeled by government officials as a fallacy. The US State Department asserts that this cartel has undermined Venezuelan institutions.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c741mpdyw9no?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss