Trump Issues Directive Closing Venezuelan Airspace Amid Military Tensions

Wed Dec 03 2025 05:40:32 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a bold move, President Trump has declared the airspace around Venezuela closed. This statement comes amidst escalating military presence in the region and deteriorating relations with the Venezuelan government. The decree raises concerns over international flights and the ongoing geopolitical landscape.

US President Donald Trump announced that the airspace around Venezuela should be regarded as closed, a statement that may disrupt air travel to the nation. This declaration comes as the US ramps up military operations in the Caribbean, claiming to combat drug trafficking, which Venezuela's President Maduro dismisses as a political ploy. As six major airlines face bans from operating there, tensions continue to escalate between the two nations.

US President Donald Trump has said that the airspace around Venezuela should be considered closed. “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY,” Trump stated on social media.

The US does not have the legal authority to close another country's airspace, but Trump's comments may create travel uncertainty and deter airlines from operating there.

As tensions mount, the US has been increasing its military presence in the Caribbean, which officials claim is aimed at combatting drug smuggling. In contrast, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has dismissed these accusations as an attempt to destabilize his government.

Venezuela has yet to respond to Trump's remarks, while the White House has not provided immediate comments on the matter. This statement follows a warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding heightened military activity in and around Venezuela.

Additionally, Venezuela has responded to these rising tensions by banning six international airlines—Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca, and Turkish Airlines—from landing, after they did not meet a 48-hour deadline to resume their flights.

The deployment of the USS Gerald Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, along with about 15,000 troops near Venezuela, marks the largest US military mobilization in the region since the 1989 Panama invasion. Trump has indicated that US operations aimed at halting drug trafficking will soon escalate further.

Venezuelan authorities see US actions as part of a broader strategy to remove Maduro from power, amid allegations that the US is using a fabricated narrative regarding drug trafficking to justify its military actions.

As geopolitical tensions rise, the implications of Trump's directive could leave both travelers and airlines in a state of uncertainty regarding their travels to and from Venezuela.