US President Donald Trump has heightened Washington’s standoff with Venezuela by declaring that the skies around the South American nation should now be treated as completely off-limits.
In a post he addressed to “all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers,” he warned on Saturday that “THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA [IS] CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
Trump’s announcement comes as the United States expands its campaign against what it claims are Venezuela-linked drug operations. Over recent months, American forces have launched multiple lethal strikes on vessels they identified as trafficking hubs, actions that have left dozens dead.
UN experts have criticized the operations, calling them extra-judicial killings, while the fallout pushed the United Kingdom to halt intelligence cooperation with Washington over concerns it would be aiding activities it considers outside the agreed boundaries of their intelligence partnership.
Trump added on Thursday that the US could “very soon” shift its focus to suspected drug traffickers operating inside Venezuelan territory.
President Nicolas Maduro dismissed the threats, insisting that Venezuela would not be cowed by US pressure. Analysts, however, argue that Washington’s justification of a drug war may be laying the groundwork for a broader effort to force Maduro from power — a leader Trump has long treated as an adversary.
In August, the US administration doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, labelling him “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.” The bounty, which once stood at $25 million, has now been raised to $50 million.
In a post he addressed to “all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers,” he warned on Saturday that “THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA [IS] CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
Trump’s announcement comes as the United States expands its campaign against what it claims are Venezuela-linked drug operations. Over recent months, American forces have launched multiple lethal strikes on vessels they identified as trafficking hubs, actions that have left dozens dead.
UN experts have criticized the operations, calling them extra-judicial killings, while the fallout pushed the United Kingdom to halt intelligence cooperation with Washington over concerns it would be aiding activities it considers outside the agreed boundaries of their intelligence partnership.
Trump added on Thursday that the US could “very soon” shift its focus to suspected drug traffickers operating inside Venezuelan territory.
President Nicolas Maduro dismissed the threats, insisting that Venezuela would not be cowed by US pressure. Analysts, however, argue that Washington’s justification of a drug war may be laying the groundwork for a broader effort to force Maduro from power — a leader Trump has long treated as an adversary.
In August, the US administration doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, labelling him “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.” The bounty, which once stood at $25 million, has now been raised to $50 million.
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