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Donald Trump on Venezuela Tension: Donald Trump has declared the entire airspace over Venezuela closed. The US President called this an open warning to airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human smugglers. This step is part of the US strategy to increase pressure on Venezuela’s deteriorating security, increasing military activities and the Maduro regime. This could have an immediate impact on international flights and regional tensions.
New Delhi. US President Donald Trump issued a dramatic statement on Saturday, declaring the entire airspace over and around Venezuela closed. He gave this order through a post on his Truth social platform in which he directly addressed the airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human smugglers. “To all airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human smugglers, please consider the airspace over and around Venezuela completely closed,” Trump wrote.
What is Trump’s plan?
Trump has not made it clear what he is going to do next regarding Venezuela, but due to this step of the US President, tension is increasing in the entire region. This is being seen as a strategy to put pressure on Venezuela. The move follows a warning issued last week by the US aviation regulator warning major airlines of potentially dangerous conditions when flying over Venezuela. The regulator had cited the deteriorating security situation in the country and increase in military activities. This announcement is likely to have an immediate impact on international airlines and regional tensions.
Challenge to Maduro’s power
Donald Trump’s order to completely close Venezuelan airspace is not just a security warning but a significant and aggressive escalation in the US policy to challenge the power of President Nicolas Maduro. This step has been taken at a time when Venezuela is already facing a serious economic crisis, political instability and stringent US sanctions against the Maduro regime.
Why did Trump mention drug dealers and human traffickers?
The mention of airlines and pilots as well as drug dealers and human traffickers in Trump’s post makes clear the dual purpose of this order. The United States wants to eliminate the flight security risks posed by Maduro’s control and military activities in Venezuela. The US has already declared Maduro an illegitimate regime and is insisting on stopping any kind of drug or illegal trafficking from there. This is a direct economic and symbolic action against the Maduro regime. The closure of Venezuelan airspace will affect international trade and connectivity, which will put more international pressure on the already broken Maduro government.
What is the Venezuela dispute?
The Venezuelan controversy deepened in 2019 when the US and several Western countries declared opposition leader Juan Guaidó the country’s legitimate interim president. This is because he considered the 2018 presidential election to be fraudulent. The Trump administration imposed tough sanctions to oust Maduro, including sanctions on Venezuelan oil companies and financial sanctions against Maduro and his allies. Venezuela, being located between Colombia and the Caribbean Sea, is an important transit point for illegal drug trafficking. This order of America is a direct attack against Maduro as well as against these illegal activities.
