US President Donald Trump on Saturday declared that the airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety,” sparking sharp criticism from the Venezuelan government. Caracas denounced the statement as a “colonial threat” aimed at undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, addressing it to “Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers” rather than directly to President Nicolás Maduro. It remains unclear whether the statement represents a formal U.S. policy or is part of Trump’s ongoing campaign rhetoric against Maduro.
Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry said the declaration constitutes a “hostile, unilateral and arbitrary act,” threatening the nation’s territorial integrity and aeronautical security. The statement also cited U.S. immigration authorities’ suspension of biweekly deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants—a program that had returned over 13,000 people to Venezuela this year.
International airlines have recently canceled flights to Venezuela following Federal Aviation Administration warnings about the heightened military activity in the region. While the FAA’s authority is primarily domestic, it regularly issues global advisories to protect pilots from conflict zones.
Trump’s administration has previously increased pressure on Maduro, whom the U.S. does not recognize as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. U.S. forces have conducted bomber flights near Venezuelan waters, and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is currently stationed in the region, marking the largest U.S. military buildup there in decades.
Concerns over the use of force have prompted bipartisan calls for oversight. Senate Armed Services Committee leaders, Republican Roger Wicker and Democrat Jack Reed, said they will investigate U.S. military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, particularly following reports of verbal orders to kill all crew members in a September attack on suspected drug smugglers.
Trump has reportedly explored both military and diplomatic channels, including a conversation with Maduro, though details of the discussion remain undisclosed.