On Saturday, Trump published on his fact Social portal an entry in which he turned to airlines, pilots and drug smugglers and people to treat the full airspace over Venezuela and its surroundings as closed. At the end he added short Thank you for your attention.. However, he did not explain what led him to this appeal or give any additional information.
Initially, it was not known whether a telephone call with Nicolas Maduro was held, but Trump asked by journalists: I don't want to comment, the answer is yes.
When asked on Sunday by journalists aboard Air Force One, why he felt the airspace over Venezuela should be considered closed, he replied: Because we consider Venezuela not a friendly country..
Flight simulations
According to Wall Street Journal, citing their sources, during the telephone conversation Donald Trump and Nicolas Maduro raised issues of the regime's demands in Caracas concerning broad amnesty for Maduro himself, his co-workers and their families, many of whom are subject to American financial sanctions or are facing criminal charges.
Trump was expected to tell Venezuelan leader that if the same 1 persists, the United States would consider another options for action, including the usage of force. He mentioned the very contact between the 2 leaders earlier New York Timesbut without detailed information.
Media reports show that in fresh weeks the United States has conducted simulated raids in Venezuela utilizing fighters and bombers. In addition, they strengthened their military presence in the Caribbean so that, in the event of Trump's decision to take further military action, they could increase the strength of air operations.
The leader of a terrorist organization?
The conversation took place a fewer days before the entry into force of the decision of the U.S. State Department to recognise Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization. According to the US authorities, this structure is to be composed of high-ranking Venezuelan officials, among others, and its leader is to be Maduro himself.
The Caracas authorities powerfully reject these accusations, claiming that the allegations of drug participation are simply an excuse to forcefully overthrow the government and take control of rich oil deposits.
