Venezuela calls Trump's call to close airspace a 'colonialist threat'

"In a Truth Social post, Trump said "To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY." The Venezuelan government responded with a statement saying Trump's comments violate international law and are a "colonialist threat" to the country's sovereignty. "No authority outside the Venezuelan institutional framework has the power to interfere with, block, or condition the use of international airspace," the statement said."

"As of Sunday afternoon, Flightradar24 shows planes continuing to fly in Venezuelan airspace. This comes a day after the Senate and House Armed Services committees said they would investigate the Pentagon after The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave an order to kill all crew members aboard a boat suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean in September. NPR has confirmed the Washington Post's reporting."

"The military has carried out at least 21 strikes and killed at least 82 people on alleged drug boats as part of "Operation Southern Spear," a campaign that the Trump administration says is aimed at tackling drug-trafficking. Venezuela said in its statement that "such statements represent an explicit use of force, which is prohibited by Article 2, paragraph 4 of the U.N. Charter of the United Nations.""

President Trump posted on Truth Social calling for the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed. The Venezuelan government condemned the statement as a violation of international law and described it as a colonialist threat to national sovereignty. Venezuelan officials stated that no external authority may interfere with international airspace. Flight-tracking data showed planes continuing to fly over Venezuela on Sunday. Congressional Armed Services committees announced investigations after reporting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered killing all crew on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean; NPR confirmed that reporting. The military reportedly carried out at least 21 strikes, killing at least 82 people under Operation Southern Spear, prompting Democratic criticism and calls for accountability.

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