Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on 29/11, asserting that comments by US President Donald Trump constituted a "colonial threat" to their sovereignty and an unjustified, illegal act of aggression. The ministry stated that Trump was threatening "national airspace sovereignty and the entire sovereignty of the Venezuelan state".

According to Caracas, the US president's comments are part of a "long-standing policy of aggression against our country", violating international law and the United Nations Charter. The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that the US respect its airspace and affirmed it would not accept orders or threats from foreign powers.

In a social media post on Truth Social earlier, Trump warned airlines "to consider all airspace over and around Venezuela blockaded".

The Venezuelan government stated that Trump's post unilaterally suspended all migrant deportation flights. Flights deporting undocumented migrants to Venezuela were a controversial issue for the Trump administration, related to its program to return undocumented immigrants to their home countries.

The Pentagon and the White House have not yet issued a statement regarding President Trump's threat to "blockade Venezuelan airspace".

A Venezuelan Air Force Super Cougar helicopter at Libertador Air Base in Aragua state on 29/11. *AFP*

In early september, the US military launched an anti-drug operation in the Caribbean Sea, deploying a significant military force to the region. This raised concerns that Washington intended to overthrow the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The US forces currently deployed near Venezuela include: the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, at least 8 surface ships, a special operations support ship, an attack submarine, 8 F-35B stealth fighters, AC-130 gunships, transport aircraft, MQ-9 drones, and over 15,000 troops.

President Trump said on 27/11 that "ground efforts" to stop drug trafficking from Venezuela would soon begin. It is unclear if this statement refers to the possibility of the US launching a ground offensive into Venezuela or using long-range weapons to strike suspected drug traffickers.

Trump previously indicated a willingness to engage in dialogue with his counterpart Maduro, but also did not rule out the possibility of a military intervention in Venezuela.

Huyen Le (According to Reuters, Guardian, Sky News)