Trump’s Plan to Close Venezuelan Airspace: What People in Venezuela Think Amid Rising Tensions

The U.S. has announced plans to close Venezuelan airspace as President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of enabling drug trafficking through the Caribbean. With a U.S. task force already in the region, Trump says land operations may follow. This video looks at how Venezuelans themselves view the move, the rising political tensions, and the potential impact on daily life.

#Venezuela #Trump #Maduro

Transcript

00:00Donald Trump says the airspace above Venezuela is to be closed.

00:04The U.S. president is stepping up his feud with Venezuela's leftist leader,

00:08Nicolas Maduro, over alleged drug running through the Caribbean.

00:12With a U.S. task force already in the region,

00:15Trump has previously said land operations will begin soon

00:18against suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers.

00:21U.S. warships appear to be gearing up for action against Venezuela

00:30off the coast of Puerto Rico.

00:3415,000 U.S. soldiers are now stationed in the region.

00:39There are also 15 U.S. naval vessels off the Venezuelan coast,

00:44including the United States' largest aircraft carrier,

00:47the U.S.S. Gerald Ford, which can carry up to 90 planes.

00:54On the streets of Caracas, uncertainty is making people wary.

01:00We are all afraid, but we must continue with our lives.

01:04What else can we do?

01:05If we stop, we will achieve nothing.

01:08We have to move forward and act like nothing is happening.

01:12That's the truth.

01:13Tension? Yes, there is tension.

01:15It feels like a tense calm, where you know something could happen,

01:19but you don't know when.

01:23Life goes on, but with a lot of crisis,

01:26a lot of problems and few solutions.

01:29This has led all of us to the situation we are in,

01:32with parents here alone and children abroad,

01:34only seeing them on video to check in.

01:37I don't know how this situation in the Caribbean will end

01:40or how it will be resolved.

01:41Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro says his position hasn't changed

01:48and that he is willing to engage in face-to-face dialogue with Donald Trump.

01:54Peace will be my haven, my greatest desire, my hope,

01:59to say it is our victory,

02:02and peace will continue to be our victory,

02:05achieved through our own efforts.

02:06But Maduro also stresses that Venezuela is prepared to defend itself.

02:15With Trump warning that the U.S. will soon target

02:18suspected Venezuelan traffickers on land,

02:21Maduro's armed forces may well be put to the test.

02:25And for more, let's bring in journalist Alvaro Algarra,

02:30who joins me from Caracas.

02:32Good to have you with us.

02:34So Donald Trump warned of the closing of Venezuela's airspace on Truth Social.

02:39He also says ground operation will be imminent.

02:42How have Venezuelans reacted to that?

02:45Hello, greetings from Caracas, Venezuela.

02:50This Saturday, here is a lot of tensions among the Venezuelan population

02:55due to what might happen in the coming hours following President Trump's statement.

03:02Millions of people cannot travel, cannot come to the country,

03:06and we don't know what might happen in response to these warnings.

03:11President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, asserts that given the United States government

03:18continue attacks in the Caribbean and its attempts to destabilize Venezuela,

03:24the Venezuelan people will affirm their call to peace

03:29and an end to the threats against the United people

03:34with considerable power in the streets.

03:37He also stated that while the United States government seeks to rule the world with weapons

03:44and threats and to bomb and invade the nation like Venezuela,

03:49here we'll find a determinate people with remarkable popular military and police united

03:56and with the courage and determination to defend the homeland and achieve lasting peace.

04:03Right. So, you say that most Venezuelans there are determined to defend their country,

04:09but Venezuela's opposition is welcoming what many say is Trump's attempt at regime change in Venezuela.

04:18How common is that sentiment among the people you've talked to?

04:21Okay. People in Venezuela have avoided talking about politics,

04:28but at the same time, there is a lot of anticipation about what might happen in the coming hours in these days in the country.

04:38Given the amount of information coming from abroad, people go out and work to survive.

04:44Remember that the salaries in the public sector are approximately $4 or $5 per month.

04:52And the main issue is the economy, which affects many.

04:57Protests have taken here in Venezuela.

05:01There is more than 800 people arrested for political issues.

05:10And it no longer depends on them.

05:14It depends on the government, in this case, of the United States of America.

05:20Now, as Venezuelans are bracing for whatever might happen next,

05:26how are the country's neighbours looking at this conflict and where it might head to?

05:33Monica, there is a lot of tension on the streets, but I repeat, people don't talk to evitate to go to jail talking about politics.

05:48Remember, there has been 27 years this government, so anything could happen.

05:58Remember that Maria Corina, Machao, it's on clandestinity.

06:05We had elections here, and they never showed the results.

06:13And the candidates had to leave the country.

06:17So it's very difficult for the people here to talk about politics, even to the journalists.

06:24Remember, there is more than 30 journalists in jail.

06:29There is more than 100 or 200 journalists out of the country because they spoke sometime about politics.

06:40It's very difficult, Monica, these times.

06:42I respect that Alvaro Algarra, and thank you so very much for taking the time and speaking to us here on DW,

06:53journalist Alvaro Algarra in Caracas.

06:55All the best to you.

06:56All the best to you.

Trump’s Plan to Close Venezuelan Airspace: What People in Venezuela Think Amid Rising Tensions | APT

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