The Venezuelan government has denounced what it calls 'intimidation' by the United States to the OPEC+ alliance, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). President Nicolás Maduro sent a letter to the OPEC+ alliance, warning of a presumed U.S. interest in using lethal military force against the country's territory, people, and institutions. He stated that this intention not only contravenes peaceful coexistence between nations but also seriously threatens the stability of Venezuela's oil production and the international market. The Venezuelan executive also went before the ICAO to accuse the United States of violating its sovereignty, after President Donald Trump announced the supposed 'total closure' of the country's airspace. In a statement, the Maduro administration indicated that Trump announced the closure without having the required authority or any legal basis. The National Aviation Institute (INAC) is the only entity authorized to regulate Venezuelan airspace. Meanwhile, President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, asked the ICAO to convene a meeting over what he called Trump's 'completely illegal' announcement of the airspace closure. He also requested the European Union to order the normalization of flights to and from Venezuela. The Russian tour operator Pegas Touristik, one of the largest in its sector, announced that it will redirect tourists to Varadero, Cuba, who were supposed to travel to Venezuela, following Trump's announcement. According to the Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR), this decision was made due to the 'potential threat to the security of civilian flights in Venezuelan airspace due to the conflict with the United States'. The authorities of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, neighboring countries of Venezuela, have confirmed that airlines continue to operate normally in their airspace. The President of the Venezuelan Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, announced that he met with relatives of Venezuelans who died in U.S. attacks on boats in the Caribbean, allegedly carrying drugs. Rodríguez showed a photograph of the meeting without revealing the identities of the relatives, stating they have received threats. He announced that this Monday an extraordinary session will be held to vote on the formation of a special commission to investigate these facts and determine how many Venezuelans have lost their lives in these attacks. To date, the United States has announced attacks on 20 vessels, in the Caribbean and the Pacific, in which 83 people have died.
