US President Donald Trump has said that the airspace around Venezuela should be considered closed.

To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY, Trump stated on social media.

The US does not legally have the authority to close another country's airspace, but Trump's statement could lead to travel uncertainty and potentially deter airlines from operating in the region.

The US has been bolstering its military presence in the Caribbean to combat drug smuggling, a claim that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has labeled as an attempt to undermine his government.

Venezuela has yet to respond to Trump's remarks, and the White House did not provide immediate comments on the matter. This declaration follows a warning from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about heightened military activity near Venezuela.

Moreover, Venezuela recently banned six international airlines, including Iberia and TAP Portugal, due to their failure to resume flights within a stipulated timeframe.

The US has deployed the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, accompanied by approximately 15,000 troops close to Venezuela, in its largest military operation in the region since the invasion of Panama in 1989. The deployment is officially aimed at combating drug trafficking.

Trump also cautioned that efforts to halt Venezuelan drug trafficking operations would initiate very soon. US forces have conducted several strikes against boats alleged to be carrying drugs, although evidence from the US government to substantiate these claims remains unclear.

Amidst this, Venezuela's government perceives the US actions as an overt attempt to destabilize Maduro's regime, which has been criticized by international observers and construed as illegitimate following the last elections.

The US has designated the Cartel de los Soles, an alleged drug trafficking organization led by Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization, aiming to expand its powers to target and dismantle it. The Venezuelan government vehemently rejects this designation, framing it as a political tactic.