Trump Tells Airlines to Treat Venezuelan Airspace as ‘Totally Closed’ as Standoff Escalates

Overview

• Trump’s post has no legal force over another country’s skies, yet flight-tracking data showed a sharp drop in overflights as airlines pulled back.
• Venezuela revoked permits for six foreign carriers after an FAA advisory about a “potentially dangerous situation” led airlines to suspend routes.
• Caracas condemned the U.S. message as a “colonialist” threat to sovereignty and said regular migrant repatriation flights were disrupted.
• Seeking backing, Venezuela appealed to OPEC to help deter U.S. actions, while a Russian tour operator halted trips to Margarita Island.
• The U.S. maintained a bolstered deployment after more than 20 maritime strikes that killed at least 83 people, Trump signaled land-focused operations “very soon,” and reports said he spoke by phone with Maduro with Secretary Marco Rubio on the call.