The dispute over the control of the skies around Venezuela grew sharper this week as the government of the country pushed back against new steps taken by the United States. The latest move came after the president announced that airspace above and around the South American nation would be blocked. The message, delivered online, urged airlines and pilots to stay away from the region. The move was framed as a safety warning but carried a wider impact that reached far beyond the travel sector. The government of Venezuela said the step was a direct challenge to its rights as a sovereign state and warned that it would not accept pressure from outside powers. Leaders in Caracas said the action by the United States was a colonialist threat. They said it broke rules of global law and harmed efforts to keep channels of movement open. They added that the skies above the nation are under the control of the state and that foreign leaders cannot decide how they must be used. Officials said they would defend their authority and called for respect from other countries. They said the recent message from the United States had caused immediate changes in how flights linked to migration were handled. These flights were suspended without talks, raising new points of strain between the two sides. The latest clash unfolded against the backdrop of wider developments in the region. Forces from the United States have increased their presence near the Caribbean Sea for months. They have carried out sea operations that they say target drug routes. The level of force in the area has grown and now far exceeds what is needed for simple patrols. Leaders in Venezuela say the buildup is a sign that the United States wants to place more pressure on the government. They say the foreign military steps have no legal basis and put civilians in the region at risk. The national leader of Venezuela, who has been in power since 2013, said the United States is trying to take him out of office. He said the people and the armed forces of the country would oppose any foreign plan to remove him. The United States has accused him of ties to drug routes, which he has rejected. These charges have been part of a long list of disputes between the two nations. The current rise in tension comes as the United States continues a large-scale program that sends migrants back to their home countries. Many of these flights go to Venezuela and have become a source of conflict as policies shift. Air travel also faced changes last week when a major aviation body in the United States told airlines that flying near the country could pose risks. The warning said the level of military activity had gone up and that the overall security situation had become more complex. After the notice was sent, six large airlines that had stopped trips to the country had their rights removed by Venezuela. Officials said the decision was needed to protect national control of the airspace. At the same time, sea strikes carried out by the United States continued in waters near the country and across the Pacific. Since September, more than twenty operations have taken place. These missions targeted what the United States called drug boats. The strikes led to many deaths and increased fear in nearby areas. The scale of the missions caused worry among observers, who said the actions had expanded far beyond normal levels for drug control work. Tension also rose after leaders in the United States spoke to military members about the next phase of operations in the region. They said land missions could begin soon to stop what they called illegal groups linked to drugs inside Venezuela. The message added to concerns that the dispute could move from threats and patrols to wider action on the ground. The Venezuela airspace dispute continues to draw global attention. As steps and counter-steps unfold, pressure builds on both sides. The situation remains fragile, and many fear that further moves could push the region into a new and sharper phase of conflict.