Trump Escalates Pressure, Declares Venezuelan Airspace “Closed”

In a dramatic escalation of his long-standing pressure campaign against the government of Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump issued a stark directive over the weekend, unilaterally declaring that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety.” The announcement, made via his Truth Social platform from Palm Beach, Florida, was aimed directly at international airlines, pilots, and criminal networks. This move represents the latest turn of the wheel in Trump’s intensified efforts to force Maduro from office, which his administration frames as a mission to curb illegal migrant and drug flows, albeit with the clear potential side effect of regime change.

The immediate and forceful response from Caracas condemned the statement as a brazen overreach. Venezuela’s foreign minister denounced Trump’s directive as a “colonialist threat” and an “extravagant, illegal, and unjustified aggression against the people of Venezuela.” This fiery rhetoric underscores the significant tension the announcement has ignited, positioning a social media post from a former president as a potent tool of international pressure. The exchange signals that the geopolitical standoff over Venezuela, far from abating, is entering a new and more confrontational phase.