US President Donald Trump has said that the airspace around Venezuela should be considered closed.
"To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY," Trump said in a social media post.
The US does not legally have the authority to close another country's airspace, but Trump's post could lead to travel uncertainty and deter airlines from operating there.
The US has been building its military presence in the Caribbean, which officials say is to combat drug smuggling. Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has dismissed US claims of drug trafficking as an attempt to oust him.
Venezuela has not yet responded to Trump's remarks. The White House did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment.
