Colombian President: Closing Venezuela’s Airspace Is Illegal

According to the English section⁢ of webangah news Agency, citing Mehr News Agency adn RT, Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated ⁤Sunday that closing Venezuela’s airspace is illegal. He called on the International civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to convene a session condemning the move.

Petro further⁤ emphasized that there is no United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing military action against Venezuela. Nor does the United States Congress have any mandate‌ for armed intervention in Caracas.

This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump ⁤announced yesterday that all⁣ airspace​ over and around Venezuela ⁤would be closed ‍until ‌further notice.

According ‌to Agence France-Presse, Trump justified this ⁢hostile action by stating: “Airlines, drug traffickers, and human smugglers must consider Venezuelan airspace​ wholly closed!”

Since September, U.S. forces have targeted more than 20 boats alleged to be used for drug⁢ trafficking in⁢ the Caribbean ​Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in at⁢ least 83 deaths.

The U.S. has also deployed its largest aircraft ⁣carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, along with accompanying warships and fighter jets to the Caribbean region-officially declaring ​it part ⁤of their ongoing anti-drug operations.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned ‍these ⁤actions as a⁣ threat aimed at overthrowing his government and seizing his country’s oil reserves.