Officials Denounce US Aggression
Venezuela reacts with anger to Donald Trump’s statement that the nation’s airspace should be viewed as closed. The foreign ministry calls his message “another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people”. Officials say the United States holds no legal power to shut another nation’s airspace. They accuse Trump of making a “colonialist threat” that violates international law.
Military Moves Intensify Regional Pressure
The United States increases its military presence near Venezuela. US forces conduct at least 21 strikes on boats they claim transported drugs. More than 80 people die in these operations. Washington provides no evidence for its claims. President Nicolás Maduro says the United States wants to remove him from power. Trump writes on Truth Social that airlines, pilots, smugglers and traffickers should treat all Venezuelan airspace as closed. The White House does not respond to a request for comment from a British broadcaster.
Congress Warns Trump Over War Powers
Trump’s threat triggers anger in the US Congress. Lawmakers from both parties criticise him for bypassing congressional authority. Chuck Schumer warns that Trump pushes the United States toward another costly foreign conflict. He stresses that only Congress can declare war under the constitution. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a close Trump ally, repeats the same warning.
Airlines Halt Flights After New Warnings
Trump’s message follows a notice from the US Federal Aviation Administration. The agency alerts airlines to heightened military activity in and around Venezuela. Several major carriers suspend flights after the alert. Caracas then withdraws their take-off and landing rights. Venezuela’s foreign ministry urges global institutions and governments to reject what it calls an immoral act of aggression. The Venezuelan military holds coastal drills the same day. State television shows anti-aircraft systems and heavy artillery moving into place.
Large US Deployment Near Venezuelan Waters
The United States stations the USS Gerald Ford, its largest aircraft carrier, along with about 15,000 troops. Washington says the move targets drug trafficking networks. This marks the biggest US presence in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama. Trump warns that efforts to block alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking by land will begin very soon. Venezuelan officials argue that Washington aims to topple Maduro, whose disputed re-election drew widespread criticism. Colombian President Gustavo Petro says the United States uses violence to dominate Latin America, though some leaders support Trump’s stance.
Terrorist Label Deepens the Dispute
The United States designates the Cartel of the Suns as a foreign terrorist organisation. Washington alleges that Maduro and senior officials run the group. The designation grants US agencies expanded powers to target and dismantle it. Venezuela’s foreign ministry rejects the label “categorically, firmly and absolutely”, calling it another hostile political act.
