President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after speaking to troops via video from his Mar-a-Lago estate on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla.
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Alex Brandon/AP
The government of Venezuela has expressed strong disapproval of President Trump’s recent declaration to consider the airspace over Venezuela as closed. This comes after Trump’s Truth Social post where he urged “all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers” to avoid the region entirely.
The official response from Venezuela, shared through a statement, accused Trump of overstepping international boundaries and labeled his remarks as a “colonialist threat” that undermines Venezuela’s sovereignty.
Venezuela’s statement emphasized, “No authority outside the Venezuelan institutional framework has the power to interfere with, block, or condition the use of international airspace.”
Despite these tensions, air traffic seems unaffected as planes continue to navigate Venezuelan skies, according to data from Flightradar24 as of Sunday afternoon.
This development follows recent controversies involving the U.S. military’s actions in the Caribbean. Reports from The Washington Post, confirmed by NPR, detail that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized lethal force against a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in September. This has prompted both the Senate and House Armed Services committees to initiate inquiries into the Pentagon’s actions.
Under “Operation Southern Spear,” the U.S. military has reportedly conducted at least 21 strikes, resulting in the deaths of 82 individuals on vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking. Venezuela condemned these actions, citing Article 2, paragraph 4 of the U.N. Charter, which prohibits the use of force.
Criticism has emerged, particularly from Democrats, regarding the adequacy of evidence justifying these military actions. Senator Chris Van Hollen voiced concerns on ABC’s This Week, suggesting the possibility of “war crimes” if the military’s rationale is unfounded. He stated, “They’ve never presented the public with the information they’ve got here,” adding that, if mistaken, the actions could amount to “plain murder.”
Conversely, Republican Senator Eric Schmitt defended the administration’s strategy on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, asserting that Trump’s measures fall “well within his Article 2 powers” to combat drug smuggling. Schmitt described the approach as twofold: “One is to get rid of the precursors that are coming from China, and then take out the cartels that are distributing this and bringing it to the United States of America.”
Bipartisan concern persists over Trump’s handling of Venezuela, especially given the lack of legislative approval for military strikes. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Trump’s actions on X, warning of the risk of a “costly foreign war.” Similarly, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene reminded the public that “Congress has the sole power to declare war.”
