Caracas Condemns “Illegal Aggression”
Venezuela strongly criticized Donald Trump after he said the country’s airspace should be fully closed. The foreign ministry called the statement “another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people”. Officials said the United States has no authority to restrict another nation’s airspace and accused Trump of issuing a “colonialist threat”. Washington increased its military presence in the region and carried out at least 21 strikes on boats it claimed carried drugs, killing more than 80 people. US authorities provided no evidence. President Nicolás Maduro said these operations aim to remove him from power. Trump posted on Truth Social that airlines, pilots, traffickers, and smugglers should “consider the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety”. The White House did not respond immediately to an international news outlet’s request for comment.
US Lawmakers Question Trump’s Authority
Trump’s threat drew sharp criticism from Congress. Both Democrats and Republicans said he ignored constitutional limits. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer warned that Trump’s “reckless actions” push the US toward “another costly foreign war”. He stressed that only Congress can declare war. Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, formerly a close Trump ally, echoed the warning, reminding that Congress holds sole authority to declare war.
Flights Halt Amid Rising Tensions
The US Federal Aviation Administration warned airlines of “heightened military activity in and around Venezuela”. Several major carriers suspended flights. Caracas then withdrew their take-off and landing rights. Venezuela’s foreign ministry urged governments, the UN, and international organisations to reject what it called an “immoral act of aggression”. On the same day, the Venezuelan military conducted coastal drills. State TV showed anti-aircraft weapons and heavy artillery moving into position.
US Deployment Raises Regional Alarm
The US deployed the USS Gerald Ford and about 15,000 troops near Venezuelan waters. Officials said the move targets drug trafficking. It marks the largest US presence in the region since the 1989 Panama invasion. Trump warned that operations to stop Venezuelan drug trafficking “by land” would begin “very soon”. Venezuelan authorities argued that Washington aims to topple Maduro, whose re-election faced widespread criticism. Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the US uses “violence to dominate” Latin America, though some regional leaders welcomed Trump’s approach.
Terrorist Label Deepens Diplomatic Rift
The US designated Cartel de los Soles a foreign terrorist organisation and claimed Maduro leads the group. The designation expands American powers to dismantle it. Venezuela’s foreign ministry “categorically, firmly, and absolutely” rejected the label, calling it another hostile act.
