President Donald Trump said on Saturday, November 29, 2025, that airlines should treat the airspace above and around Venezuela as closed. In a post on his social media account, he addressed “airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers,” and told them to consider the area closed in its entirety.
The message followed a Federal Aviation Administration advisory issued earlier in the month that warned of a potentially hazardous situation for civil aviation in and around Venezuela.
The FAA notice, posted on November 21, cited a deteriorating security environment and increased military activity in the region. It advised operators to exercise caution at all altitudes when transiting the Maiquetia Flight Information Region (SVZM FIR).
The advisory also requested that operators provide at least 72 hours of advance notice before entering the FIR and to report any safety or security incidents to the agency. The notice remains in effect into early 2026 unless modified.
What Trump said and immediate context
Trump’s statement did not include a formal directive or an implementation plan. There was no outline of how the U.S. would enforce a shutdown of foreign airspace, or what exceptions might apply to humanitarian or emergency flights.
The post came about a week after the FAA alert, which had already prompted some carriers to reassess routes and schedules. It also landed amid heightened regional tensions and reports of increased Venezuelan military readiness.
U.S. regulators have not changed the long-standing prohibition on direct passenger and cargo flights between the United States and Venezuela. That suspension has been in place since 2019. The latest FAA advisory focuses on overflight risk for international carriers transiting the region and for any U.S.-registered operators with routes that cross Venezuelan airspace.
The FAA’s warning and technical risks
According to the FAA’s background information, there has been a rise in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference in the SVZM FIR since September 2025. Crews reported interference events that, in some cases, produced lingering effects throughout the remainder of their flights.
The FAA said jamming and spoofing equipment can affect aircraft systems out to approximately 250 nautical miles and can impact key communications, navigation, surveillance, and safety equipment.
The agency also noted increased Venezuelan military activity, including exercises and mobilization. While there was no indication that Venezuela intends to target civil aviation, the FAA highlighted the presence of advanced fighter aircraft and air defense systems that can reach or exceed typical cruising altitudes for commercial traffic, as well as potential low-altitude risk from portable air-defense systems. The cumulative effect, the FAA said, raises the overall risk profile for overflights.
Airlines adjust operations
Following the November 21 advisory, several international airlines suspended flights to Venezuela or rerouted aircraft to avoid the FIR. Carriers cited the combination of the FAA’s caution, reported GNSS interference, and uncertainty around military activity.
Some airlines also indicated that contingency routes would lengthen flight times on South American services that previously crossed Venezuelan airspace.
Venezuelan aviation authorities pressed for normal operations to resume and warned of potential administrative consequences for airlines that continued suspensions. Industry groups said any restart decisions would depend on ongoing risk assessments, insurance considerations, and coordination among regulators.
Route planners and dispatchers are evaluating alternatives that maintain separation from the SVZM FIR until the risk picture stabilizes.
