The United States appears to be inching closer to directly attacking Venezuela.
President Donald Trump on Nov. 29issued a warning to avoid airspace around the South American country. Trump hasalready signaled imminent land attacksin Venezuela, a country larger than the size of Texas and apopulation of over 31 million people.
The Trump administrationhas escalated its threats againstVenezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro, accusing hisgovernment of drug trafficking and terrorism. American military have launched several strikes on vessels near Venezuela that officials accused of smuggling drugs, often without evidence, killing dozens of people.
Now, after months of provocation, the administration may be readying to topple Maduro's government.
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Trump warns of closing airspace around Venezuela
In a brief social media post, Trump warned that the airspace of Venezuela should be considered closed. The president of the United States has no authority over Venezuelan airspace, however several major international airlines suspended flights following an earlier warning due to "heightened military activity in or around" the country from the Federal Aviation Administration.
"To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY," Trump said on his app, Truth Social, andhis more rarely used X account. "Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
In a statement Saturday afternoon, Venezuela's government condemned Trump's comments, describing them as a "colonialist threat" against the South American country's sovereignty and incompatible with international law.
Trump's post "represents a hostile, unilateral and arbitrary act, incompatible with the principles of international law," the statement said.
The United States has already positioned its largest aircraft carrier, two guided missile destroyers, and a special operations ship near Venezuela. Around 12,000 troops are stationed in the area.
Trump told military service members earlier this week that the U.S. would "very soon" begin land operations to stop suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers.
Venezuela's capital and largest city is Caracas, which has a population of around 2 million people and is one of South America's largest cities.
Administration accuses Maduro of drug trafficking, terrorism
Trump has accused Maduro of being adrug trafficker sending fentanylthat's contributed to the American opioid crisis.
On Nov. 24, theState Department designated Maduro and other high-ranking governmentofficials as part of a foreign terrorist organization. American officials labeled Cartel de los Soles, "cartel of the suns" in English, as the government-run terrorist group. Expertshave told USA TODAYthe name, considered a slang term, stems from Venezuelan military commanders' epaulettes and leaders alleged ties to drug trafficking.
The actual group does not exist in the same way as established drug trafficking networks, though experts have said the Venezuelan military does have drug corruption.
While some other drugs such as cocaine have been tied to Venezuela, fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, is not a source or stopping point for the drug's route to the United States. Theprecursors for fentanyl come mainly from China, and the drug is produced in Mexico before being sent across the border, mostly through legal ports of entry.
US military launches strikes on boats
In the lead up to Trump's announcement, themilitary has attacked several boatsoff South America in international waters. Officials have accused the boats of smuggling drugs to the United States without evidence presented to the public or to Congress.
So far, 83 people, including many Venezuelans but alsoother South AmericansandCaribbeans, have been known to have died on around 21 boats.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has said the strikes violate international human rights law. Former military and law enforcement officials, as well as legal analysts, say thestrikes are illegal and amount to extrajudicial killings.
Millions fled South American country, oppressive government
Nearly 8 million people have fled Venezuela since around the mid 2010s, according to theUN Refugee Agency. The number of people who left the South American country account for about a fifth of Venezuela's population, theNew York Times has reported.
An oil-rich country, the country's economy has collapsed, marked by widespread poverty and violence, including allegations of corruption and oppressive crackdowns by Maduro's ruling government that is widely considered a left-wing dictatorship. Under Maduro's United Socialist Party, Venezuela hasheld electionsthat are seen as undemocratic, with2024 electionsthat international observers and Venezuelan opposition leaders say Maduro lost. He has remained in power.
While the United States saw awave of migrants from Venezuelaseeking asylum, most have gone to nearby countries, mostly to bordering Colombia but also Peru and Brazil. The Trump administration has also labeled many Venezuelan migrants as members of a criminal gang,Tren de Aragua, with little or no evidence.
Under Trump, increasing US presence in Latin America
Along with moving strategic military assets into the Western Hemisphere, Trump hasfrequently weighed in on Latin American affairs.
On Nov. 28, Trump encouraged Hondurans to vote for a conservative candidate for president in the upcoming election, while he said he would pardon aformer president convictedin the United States of drug trafficking. At the same time, he told Maduro to stay out of Honduras.
The United States has a long history of regime change across Latin America. The 19th and 20th centuries saw several American-backed coups and direct interventions toppling mostly left-wing governments.
Contributing:Phillip Bailey,Josh Meyer,Zac Anderson,Cybele Mayes-Osterman,Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:US inches closer to direct attacks on Venezuela. What Trump has said
