Trump said in a post on social media Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered to be closed “in its entirety.” His remarks came after Washington had strengthened its military buildup in the Caribbean Sea on the grounds of “fighting drug trafficking.”
Amid escalating tensions between the two countries, Trump confirmed on Sunday a phone call with his Venezuelan counterpart, without revealing any details of their conversation.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who had denied any involvement in drug dealing, sent a letter to Haitham Al Ghaism, secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, warning that the U.S. military threat in the Caribbean could jeopardize global energy market stability.