U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety," but gave no further details, stirring anxiety and confusion in Caracas as his administration ramps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government,
Reuters reports.
"To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY," Trump said in a Truth Social post.
U.S. officials contacted by Reuters were surprised by Trump's announcement and unaware of any ongoing U.S. military operations to enforce a closure of Venezuelan airspace. The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment and the White House did not provide any further explanation.
In a statement Saturday afternoon, Venezuela's government condemned Trump's comments, describing them as a "colonialist threat" against the South American country's sovereignty and incompatible with international law.
The U.S. president's post "represents a hostile, unilateral and arbitrary act, incompatible with the principles of international law," the statement said.
