A flight tracker shows planes flying around Venezuela on Sunday morning after President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and close to the country was to be “closed in its entirety.”
Flightradar24 showed that no planes were traveling over Venezuela on Sunday at 4 a.m. Eastern Time (ET), with planes appearing to go around the edges of the country instead.
Why It Matters
While Trump has said the airspace above and around Venezuela is to be considered closed, the country’s government said it “forcefully rejects” the president’s claim and that it was a “colonial threat” intended to undermine the country’s “territorial integrity, aeronautical security and full sovereignty.”
The dispute over the air space is the latest escalation in the growing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela that have been ramping up since the Trump administration began its strike campaign against alleged drug vessels it says were ferrying narcotics to the U.S.
Strikes on alleged drug vessels have resulted in dozens of deaths so far, according to Reuters.
What To Know
Trump does not have the legal authority to close the airspace over another country; however, his announcement seems to still be having a notable impact.
While on Sunday, Flightradar24 showed no planes flying over Venezuela following the president’s order, on Saturday morning a few planes could be seen in the country’s airspace, showing the potential impact Trump’s statement has had.
A week ago, on November 23, planes could also be seen flying over the country, according to Flightradar24’s tracking data.
Although, the number of planes flying over the country have been fewer in number since November 21, as six airlines reportedly canceled flights to Venezuela, the Venezuelan Airlines Association said, according to the AFP news agency.
The airlines included Spanish flag carrier Iberia, Portugal’s TAP airline, Colombia-based Avianca, Chile’s LATAM, Brazil’s GOL and Trinidad and Tobago’s Caribbean Airlines.
International airlines began to cancel flights to the country after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told pilots to be cautious flying around the country because of heightened military activity.
Trump’s order has sparked significant concern from some, with the anti-war organization Code Pink saying in a statement that, as “only Venezuela can determine the status of its skies,” the president’s order of a “foreign no-fly zone without U.N. authorization or host-state consent would constitute an act of war.”
“Even if unenforced, Trump’s declaration functions as an improvised, extralegal no-fly zone created through fear, FAA warnings, and military pressure. And it is being done without congressional approval, U.N. authorization, or any credible evidence of a national security threat,” the organization said.
You can track the flights live here via Flightradar24.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Saturday: “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
The anti-war organization Code Pink said in a statement posted on X: “Trying to ‘close’”’ the airspace of another country is an act of aggression. It risks flight disruptions, economic panic, and aviation accidents. It is also an attempt to isolate Venezuela without admitting that the U.S. is imposing a de facto blockade.”
What Happens Next
As the tensions continue to escalate between the two countries, it is not clear what the president will do next. He has not ruled out sending troops into the country.
This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.
