Venezuela has issued a forceful condemnation of what it characterizes as a “colonial threat” from the United States following President Donald Trump’s declaration that the airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety.” The South American nation’s government released an official statement on Saturday rejecting Washington’s attempted imposition of extraterritorial jurisdiction, describing the move as a violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty.
The statement from Caracas emphasized that the 1944 Chicago Convention grants each nation exclusive sovereignty over its territorial airspace, labeling the US position as “another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people.” Venezuelan authorities asserted they would not accept “orders, threats or interference” from any foreign power and characterized the US action as an explicit threat of force prohibited under the United Nations Charter.
This diplomatic confrontation occurs amid escalating military activity in the region. Since early September, the United States has conducted over twenty known military strikes targeting suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in more than eighty casualties. The military presence intensified in mid-November with the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier to levels unprecedented in at least three decades.
President Trump further heightened tensions during his Thanksgiving message to US troops, suggesting that America could “very soon” take action by land against drug trafficking networks in Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has consistently denied government involvement in narcotics trafficking, accusing the United States of fabricating pretexts for forced regime change.
The situation has drawn concern from both Democratic and Republican members of the US Congress, who have questioned the president’s authority to initiate military action without legislative approval. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer warned that “President Trump’s reckless actions toward Venezuela are pushing America closer and closer to another costly foreign war,” while Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene reminded that “Congress has the sole power to declare war.”
This incident follows last month’s Federal Aviation Administration warning to airlines operating in Venezuelan airspace, citing potential hazards from worsening security conditions and increased military activity. Venezuela subsequently revoked operating rights for six international airlines that had suspended flights following the FAA advisory.
The regional implications extend beyond bilateral relations, with Cuba previously accusing the United States of pursuing violent regime change in Venezuela and warning that heightened US military deployment represents an “exaggerated and aggressive” threat to Caribbean stability.