‘Airspace above and surrounding to be….’: Donald Trump issues chilling warning to THIS Country, designates ‘Cartel de los Soles’…, civilian aircraft to…
The United States Department of State has announced its intention to designate the Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO).
As tensions between the US and Venezuela continue to escalate, President Trump’s recent comments regarding Venezuela’s airspace constitute a significant adversarial warning. On Saturday, US President Doland Trump declared that the airspace over and around Venezuela is “closed entirely.” He did not provide any further explanation, leading to increased uncertainty and alarm in Caracas as the US administration increases its pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
What exactly did Doland Trump say about the airspace?
The US President’s statement comes as Trump’s administration piles pressure on Venezuela with a major military deployment in the Caribbean that includes the world’s largest aircraft carrier. In a post on Truth Social, United States President Doland Trump said,” To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.” This statement from Trump represents a clear threat to Venezuela as well as an indication of the growing rift and tension between the countries.
Why is this move considered a significant escalation in U.S.-Venezuela tensions?
The Pentagon has conducted over 20 strikes against alleged drug vessels operating within the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since September of this year, killing approximately 80 individuals, as reported by Xinhua News Agency. Additionally, in November, U. S. Military presence within the Caribbean has surged due to the deployment of the large aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, an aircraft carrier not seen in this region within the last 30 years.
In a Thanksgiving gathering for U.S. troops on Thursday evening, President Trump mentioned that “very soon” the U.S. could conduct ground operations against a “drug trafficking operation” in Venezuela. President Maduro has denied being part of a drug operation and says that the U.S. is using this as an excuse to alter the governmental structure in Venezuela.
Trump’s announcement comes a day after The New York Times reported that the US president spoke with Maduro last week and discussed a possible meeting between them in the US.There was no official confirmation, but the publication cited multiple people with knowledge of the matter. The report said there were no plans for such a meeting at the moment. If it were to take place, it would be the first-ever meeting between Maduro, who’s been leading Venezuela since 2013, and a US president. Neither the White House nor officials from Venezuela has commented regarding the discussion.
Why did the U.S. designate the ‘Cartel de los Soles’ as a terrorist group?
On November 24, the Government of the United States officially designated the “Cartel de los Soles” as a terrorist organisation, Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and imposed sanctions against the Cartel de los Soles, whose leaders are believed to include Maduro.
The Government of Venezuela issued a statement opposing this classification, calling it an absurd fabrication intended to be an illegal intrusion into its internal affairs. Regional tensions have flared as a result of the US’s anti-drug campaign and the accompanying military build-up off Venezuela, Al Jazeera reported.US aviation authorities last week urged civilian aircraft operating in Venezuelan airspace to “exercise caution” because of the “worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela,” as per Al Jazeera.
That warning prompted six airlines, which account for much of South America’s travel, to suspend flights to Venezuela. The move infuriated Caracas and led it to ban the companies – Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Colombia’s Avianca, Chile and Brazil’s LATAM, Brazil’s GOL and Turkish Airlines – for “joining the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government,” Al Jazeera reported.
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