US-Venezuela relations worsen after Trump shuts down entire airspace corridor

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): The ongoing tension between the US and Venezuela reached a new and dangerous turning point on Saturday. US President Donald Trump has ordered a "complete closure" of the airspace over and around Venezuela. After this announcement, the bitterness in the relations between the two countries has reached its peak. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has reacted sharply to Trump's statement, calling it a pressure tactic and a "colonial threat" by the US.

President Trump, in a post on his social media platform, "Truth Social," said that Venezuelan airspace should be considered completely closed. Interestingly, he issued this warning not directly to Maduro, but to airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers. However, the White House has not yet clarified whether this is a new official policy or part of an ongoing campaign against Maduro. The Trump administration does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela and has been accusing him of narco-terrorism.

The Venezuelan government has categorically rejected Trump's claim, calling it an attack on the country's territorial integrity, aviation security, and sovereignty. The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that such declarations are hostile, unilateral, and arbitrary. This diplomatic war has also affected ordinary citizens. Amid the controversy, US immigration officials have unilaterally suspended repatriation flights bringing back Venezuelan migrants, despite having repatriated more than 13,000 people so far this year following talks between the two governments.

The situation on the ground remains extremely tense. The US has launched its largest military buildup in the region in decades, dubbed "Operation Southern Spear." This deployment involves nearly a dozen Navy ships, including the state-of-the-art aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, and 12,000 sailors and Marines. According to reports, more than 80 people have been killed in US strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea since the beginning of September. Following a warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), international airlines have begun canceling flights to Venezuela for security reasons.

These aggressive military actions have raised questions within the United States as well. A Washington Post report claims that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order to "kill all crew members" in an attack on suspected smugglers. Following this revelation, the Senate Armed Services Committee has called for close monitoring and a fact-check. Meanwhile, a New York Times report claims that Trump and Maduro have spoken secretly amid the tensions, but the White House has remained silent.