UPDATE: The Venezuelan government has condemned President Donald Trump‘s recent call to close the airspace above Venezuela, labeling it a “colonialist threat” to national sovereignty. This urgent response follows Trump’s Truth Social post on Saturday, where he urged airlines and pilots to consider the airspace above Venezuela “CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
Venezuela’s government swiftly rebuffed Trump’s remarks, asserting that they violate international law. In an official statement, authorities declared, “No authority outside the Venezuelan institutional framework has the power to interfere with, block, or condition the use of international airspace.” As of Sunday afternoon, aviation tracking service Flightradar24 indicates that flights continue to operate normally within Venezuelan airspace.
The timing of this controversy coincides with reports from The Washington Post confirming that the U.S. Senate and House Armed Services Committees will investigate Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following orders for military strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean. These operations, conducted under Operation Southern Spear, have reportedly resulted in at least 21 strikes and the deaths of 82 individuals purportedly linked to drug trafficking.
Venezuela emphasized that Trump’s statements represent “an explicit use of force,” which it claims contravenes Article 2, paragraph 4 of the U.N. Charter. Critics from both sides of the U.S. political spectrum have raised concerns over the administration’s military strategy. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, warned that the military’s actions could amount to a “war crime,” asserting that the administration has failed to present sufficient evidence to justify the strikes. “They’ve never presented the public with the information they’ve got here,” he stated on ABC’s This Week on Sunday.
Conversely, Republican Senator Eric Schmitt defended Trump’s stance, claiming he is acting “well within his Article 2 powers” regarding drug smuggling. On Sunday Morning Futures on Fox News, Schmitt articulated a dual strategy aimed at dismantling drug cartels and intercepting precursor chemicals from China.
Frustration is mounting among lawmakers over Trump’s unilateral approach to Venezuela. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the former president’s actions, stating on X that “Trump’s reckless actions towards Venezuela are pushing America closer and closer to another costly foreign war.” Notably, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a Trump ally, echoed Schumer’s sentiments, reminding followers that “Congress has the sole power to declare war.”
As this situation develops, eyes are on both the U.S. administration’s next moves and Venezuela’s response. The implications of this escalating tension could significantly impact diplomatic relations and military strategy in the region. Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds.
