Venezuela Condemns Trump’s Declaration of “Closed” Airspace as Colonialist Threat, Citing Sovereignty Violations
The government of Venezuela has condemned President Trump’s recent statement that the United States considers all Venezuelan airspace “closed,” calling the statement a “colonialist threat.” Venezuela claims that such statements are violations of Venezuelan sovereignty and international law.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) November 30: On Saturday, the government of Venezuela issued a strong statement condemning Donald Trump’s recent comments regarding aerial threats to their country. Proposed actions outlined by Trump defined the airspace within and around the borders of Venezuela as “closed completely,” according to the Venezuelan response, calling them a “colonialist threat” that violates international law and a nation’s sovereignty.
Trump’s Airspace Warning Sparks Diplomatic Outcry From Venezuela
Trump issued warnings concerning Venezuela just days before he made his remarks regarding Venezuelan airspace. US authorities have informed airlines that it may be prudent to exercise extra caution when operating close to or into Venezuelan airspace because of the recent escalation in tensions, causing some major US-based carriers to evidently suspend flying into and out of Venezuela after the US government had already suspended cargo flights to that country.
Trump wrote, “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY” on his Truth Social Account.
Venezuela Denounces U.S. Actions as Illegal Aggression
Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry issued an official statement to the media on Saturday afternoon, referring to Trump’s comments earlier in the same day as “colonialist threats.”
“Venezuela denounces and condemns the colonialist threat that seeks to affect the sovereignty of its airspace, constituting yet another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people,” the ministry said.
U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Rise
Although Trump has not specifically indicated he plans to use military force to remove the Maduro government from power in the country, he has previously stated during a news conference that the efforts to prevent the transport of Venezuelan Narcotics via land into the United States would begin “very soon.”
The re-election of Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela’s President in last year’s referendum, was deemed fraudulent by much of the global community, and Washington further alleges that the so-called President Maduro leads a drug-trafficking group identified as a terrorist organization.
Airline Caution and Flight Suspensions
President Trump’s comments came only a few days after US Aviation Authorities issued guidance to US Aviation Companies on potential increased caution to be taken when flying in and around Venezuelan airspaces due to recent escalations of tension between the Two Sides, resulting in several US Airlines suspending flights into Venezuela.
The United States has not recognized President Maduro as the legitimate President of the country and has accused him of criminal involvement in narcotrafficking, an allegation that President Maduro has denied. He accuses President Trump of seeking to overthrow him and has stated that the Venezuelan civilian populace and the armed forces would respond forcefully to any foreign attempts to remove him from office.
The Trump Administration has recently named Cartel de Los Soles, an entity of the Venezuelan Government, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, which the US Administrative Community has used as their legal foundation to implement several actions. Venezuela, however, denies the legitimacy of this designation claiming that it is a means used to justify the imposition of an intervention in what Venezuela considers a sovereign state.
