17 hours ago
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A United States military action within Venezuela is imminent following President Donald Trump’s comment on Saturday via his Truth Social handle.
Advising airlines, pilots, and criminal networks to avoid the country’s territory, he wrote: “Please consider the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety.”
Venezuela has pushed back against the unilateral embargo, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs describing Trump’s statement as a “colonialist threat.”
The ministry noted that the warning targets the sovereignty of Venezuelan airspace, and constitutes “another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression” against the people.
The U.S. has assembled a large military force near Venezuela, deploying warships and about 12,000 sailors and marines under Operation Southern Spear.
Last week, the Trump administration designated the Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), effective November 24, 2025.
The U.S. says the group is headed by President Nicolás Maduro and other senior individuals of his government “who have corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary.”
“Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela’s legitimate government,” the State Department said, reiterating America’s determination to protect national security interests and denying resources to narco-terrorists.
The U.S. insists Cartel de los Soles and other designated FTOs, including the Sinaloa Cartel and Tren de Aragua, are responsible for terrorist activities and drug trafficking impacting the U.S. and Europe.
Meanwhile, the U.S operation in the Caribbean is facing legislative scrutiny after The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered crew members eliminated after a vessel was struck on September 2.
In a joint statement on Friday, Republican Senator Roger Wicker, Armed Services Committee chairman, and Democrat Senator Jack Reed announced that the committee will be conducting a “vigorous oversight to determine the facts.”
