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The Venezuelan regime reported to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) the “violation of its sovereignty” after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the Venezuelan airspace should be regarded as closed.
The Minister of Transport, Ramón Velásquez Araguayán, reported that Caracas filed a complaint "as part of its peace diplomacy" regarding the "serious threats to Venezuelan airspace" that, he stated, jeopardize the security of the hemisphere, as reported by EFE.
"The Venezuelan state has formally reported to the ICAO the serious threats against our airspace that undermine security in this hemisphere," the official stated in a communication shared on social media and later deleted.
Velásquez Araguayán stated that Trump announced "without authority or any legal basis" the supposed closure of Venezuelan airspace, which he described as "an act of illegal interference" classified as a crime in Annex 17 of the International Civil Aviation Convention.
The minister reminded that the National Aeronautical Authority (INAC) is the only entity authorized to regulate Venezuelan airspace and asserted that “no foreign power will be able to replace, in any way, the exercise of Venezuelan jurisdiction.”
The Maduro regime also rejected that the United States "attempts to intimidate and pressure international airlines" operating in Venezuela or transiting the Maiquetía FIR, which—he asserted—causes harm to companies from countries such as Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Colombia, Brazil, and Panama.
At the same time, Caracas reported to the OPEC+ alliance, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, that the United States seeks to "seize Venezuelan oil reserves" by maintaining a military presence in the Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.
The accusation was made through a letter signed by Maduro and published by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, in which the government asserts that this policy "seriously endangers the stability of Venezuelan oil production and the international market."
According to EFE, the United States has maintained a naval and air deployment in the Caribbean, in waters near Venezuela, since August, which it defends as part of its strategy against drug trafficking.
Caracas, on the other hand, interprets it as a "threat" aimed at bringing about a change of government.
The Venezuelan Parliament also reported that among the victims of the U.S. attacks on vessels in the Caribbean there may be Venezuelan citizens, and announced an extraordinary session to create a commission to investigate these events.
Tensions between the two countries escalated after the U.S. aviation authority advised to "exercise extreme caution" when flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean, prompting several airlines to temporarily suspend their flights in the area.
The conflict between Caracas and Washington has escalated rapidly. Venezuela suspended deportation flights from the United States in retaliation for the threat to close its airspace and the rising tensions in the region.
The consequences were also felt in civil aviation. Iberia and other airlines temporarily suspended their commercial flights to Venezuela and the Caribbean, following safety recommendations issued by U.S. authorities after Trump's warnings.
In parallel, Trump confirmed that he has spoken directly with Nicolás Maduro but assured that he will maintain diplomatic and military pressure until it is guaranteed that Venezuela "does not represent a regional threat," a statement that sharpens the distrust between both governments.
In the United States, key figures supported the offensive. Senator Marco Rubio defended Trump's operations in the Caribbean, asserting that it is a legitimate strategy against drug trafficking and not a direct aggression against Venezuela.
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