Venezuela demands 'unconditional' respect for its airspace

​​​​​​​By Esra Tekin and Sinan Dogan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Caracas criticized US President Donald Trump’s statement that Venezuelan airspace and the surrounding region would be closed as the South American nation demanded “unconditional respect” for the airspace.

A statement by the Foreign Ministry underlined that Venezuela’s airspace is protected under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Referring to an article of the 1944 Chicago Convention, the statement said: “It is clearly recognized that every state has exclusive and absolute sovereignty over the airspace above its territory. The Bolivarian Government declares that Venezuela will not accept any orders, threats, or interventions from any foreign power. No authority other than Venezuelan institutions has the right to interfere with, obstruct, or impose conditions on the use of national airspace.”

It noted that the US had unilaterally suspended flights intended for the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants.

“The US unilaterally halted these flights. These flights were conducted as part of the Return to the Homeland Plan to regularly and weekly return Venezuelans to their country. To date, 75 flights have brought back 13,956 of our citizens,” it said.

The statement said US military activity poses a threat to the Caribbean and northern South America, as it urged the international community, sovereign states, the UN and relevant multilateral organizations not to remain silent.

“Venezuela will respond with all the strength granted by international law and the anti-imperialist spirit of our people, with dignity and legality. Our country will continue to exercise its sovereignty, protected by international law, fully across its airspace. This threat against Venezuela is a threat to the peace of the continent and to our people. Our citizens, heirs of the Liberator Simón Bolívar, will prevail,” it added.

The statement from Caracas came after US President Donald Trump wrote on social media that “all airlines, pilots, drug traffickers, and human traffickers, please take into account that Venezuelan airspace and the area surrounding it will be completely shut down.”