Washington, November 29, 2025: United States President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety”, heightening tensions as Washington intensifies pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
“To all airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human traffickers, please consider the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The White House provided no further details, and neither the Venezuelan Communications Ministry nor the U.S. Department of Defense immediately responded to requests for comment.
The announcement comes amid months of U.S. military activity in the region. American forces have conducted strikes against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and are engaged in a significant military buildup. Reports indicate that the Central Intelligence Agency is also carrying out covert operations in Venezuela.
Earlier this week, Trump told U.S. service members that the country would “very soon” begin land operations targeting suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently warned major airlines of a “potentially hazardous situation” over Venezuelan airspace due to a “worsening security situation and heightened military activity”.
In response, Venezuela revoked operating rights for six international carriers that had suspended flights following the FAA alert.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Maduro of involvement in drug trafficking, allegations the Venezuelan president denies. Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, accused Trump of attempting to oust him and vowed that Venezuelan citizens and the military would resist any intervention.
U.S. counter-narcotics operations have so far focused on maritime targets. Since September, American forces have carried out at least 21 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, reportedly killing at least 83 people, although analysts note that the assembled U.S. firepower in the region far exceeds what is necessary for counter-narcotics missions.
