Trump Announces Closure of Airspace Over Venezuela.. Cuba: He Wants to Overthrow the Government

SadaNews - On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the airspace over Venezuela and its surroundings should be considered closed, amid escalating confrontation with leftist leader Nicolas Maduro.

Trump wrote on "Truth Social": "To all airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers, please consider the airspace over Venezuela and its vicinity completely closed."

Cuba denounced Trump's announcement to close the airspace over Venezuela, asserting that the U.S. president wants to "overthrow the legitimate government of Venezuela."

This comes as the Trump administration has intensified pressure on Venezuela by deploying a significant force in the Caribbean, particularly the largest aircraft carrier in the world.

Washington insists that the aim of the military deployment is to curb drug trafficking to the United States, but Caracas views it as a plot to overthrow Maduro and seize Venezuela's oil.

U.S. forces have carried out strikes against more than 20 ships they suspect of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and East Pacific since the beginning of September, resulting in the deaths of over 80 people.

Regional tensions are escalating as a result of the accompanying bombing campaign and military buildup.

The "New York Times" reported on Friday that Trump and Maduro spoke on the phone last week and discussed a potential meeting in the United States.

The report on the phone call comes a day after the U.S. president announced his intention to halt drug trafficking overland as well, escalating tensions with Caracas.