US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered closed in its entirety.
"To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social without elaboration.
The remarks were made amid heightening tensions in the relations between the United States and Venezuela.
Since early September, the Pentagon has carried out more than 20 known strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and East Pacific, killing more than 80 people, Xinhua news agency reported. The US military presence in the Caribbean was further strengthened in mid-November with the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, a major aircraft carrier, to a level unseen in at least three decades.
In his Thanksgiving remarks to US troops on Thursday night, Trump suggested that the US could "very soon" take action by land against "drug trafficking networks" in Venezuela.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has denied any involvement in drug trafficking, accusing Washington of "fabricating" a pretext for forcing regime change in Venezuela.
The New York Times (NYT), citing people familiar with the matter, reported on Friday that Trump spoke over phone with the Venezuelan President last week.
The two leaders discussed the possibility of an in-person meeting, though no arrangements have been made, according to the report. It also noted that both the White House and the Venezuelan government declined to comment on the call.
According to reports, the United States on November 24 formally designated Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organisation and imposed sanctions on the group, which it claimed is led by Maduro.
The Venezuelan side said in a statement that it opposed such a move, calling it a ridiculous lie aimed at illegally meddling in Venezuela's internal affairs.
The phone call, which involved US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, came days before the designation came into effect, said the NYT, Xinhua reported.
Two individuals close to the Venezuelan government also confirmed that a direct call between the two leaders had taken place, it added.
Citing an unnamed source, Axios reported on Monday that Trump has made up his mind to speak directly with Maduro. "There's more talk about talking and less talk about bombing," a source quoted by Axios said.
"Nobody is planning to go in and shoot him or snatch him (Maduro) -- at this point. I wouldn't say never, but that's not the plan right now," one official familiar with the issue was quoted by Axios as saying.
According to the report, Trump's decision is an important milestone in his gunboat diplomacy aimed at Venezuela and could indicate that US missile strikes or direct military action are not imminent.
(With inputs from IANS)
