The warning came after a message from Washington declaring Venezuelan airspace fully closed and following months of expanding U.S. naval and aerial deployments across the Caribbean.

Officials in Caracas say these moves signal a direct attempt to pressure the country’s leadership while endangering the stability of global energy markets.

Maduro Appeals To OPEC Over “Aggression”

President Nicolás Maduro sent a letter to OPEC and OPEC+ claiming the U.S. intends to take control of Venezuela’s natural resources through “lethal military force.”

He urged member states to help stop what he called an escalating threat that “seriously endangers” the balance of the international oil market. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels as of 2023, but exported only $4.05 billion in crude last year due to long-standing sanctions.

Caracas Says U.S. Threatens Oil, Territory, Institutions

Officials accused Washington of violating principles of peaceful coexistence and echoed past interventions in oil-producing states. Maduro said the country “will not succumb to blackmail or threats,” insisting it will “remain firm” in defending its energy resources.

The letter stated that U.S. intentions encompass control of territory, infrastructure and national institutions, representing a direct challenge to sovereignty.

Military Deployments And Rising Strikes

The U.S. has carried out 21 maritime attacks since September on vessels it accused of transporting narcotics, resulting in at least 83 deaths. Critics and UN experts described the operations as extrajudicial.

Alongside these strikes, Washington deployed Marines, warships, submarines, drones and the USS Gerald R. Ford—the world’s largest aircraft carrier—to the Caribbean. Maduro argues this expanded military posture is aimed at gaining access to Venezuelan oil and gas assets.

Airspace Tensions And “Colonialist” Warnings

Washington’s declaration that airlines, pilots, traffickers and smugglers should consider Venezuelan airspace “closed in its entirety” triggered strong condemnation from Caracas, which labelled the message a “colonialist threat.”

Venezuelan officials warned that intensifying military activity combined with new U.S. drilling plans—including offshore expansion near California and Florida—suggests broader strategic ambitions in the hemisphere.