Latin American countries and a regional organization on Saturday slammed U.S. President Donald Trump for threatening to close the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela.
"To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY," Trump wrote earlier on Saturday in a post on Truth Social without elaboration.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has warned several major airlines of a "dangerous situation" and advised them to "act with caution" given the "deterioration of the security situation" and the "intensification of military activities within and around Venezuela."
In response, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez noted on Saturday that the U.S. government's attempt to close Venezuela's airspace is an "illegal and unreasonable intervention" in Venezuela's sovereignty.
Rodriguez said that in the face of this aggressive attempt by the U.S. side, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has launched a special plan to assist Venezuelan citizens stranded abroad to return home and provide convenience for those who need to leave the country.
The Venezuelan government has, in accordance with international law, activated all multilateral mechanisms to demand an immediate halt to this illegal and unlawful act.
Later on Saturday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro denounces Trump's threat.
Petro questioned on his social media, "Which rule of international law allows the president of one country to close the airspace of another nation? "
If such a rule does exist, the concepts of national sovereignty and international law will come to an end, he continued in his post.
Also on Saturday, the government of Nicaragua issued a statement, reaffirming its firm support for the people of Venezuela.
The statement, jointly signed by the co-presidents of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, said that Nicaragua supports Venezuela's struggle to safeguard its sovereignty and dignity.
The same day, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) issued a statement, strongly condemning the U.S. government's threat to Venezuela's airspace sovereignty.
Latin American states, organization slam Trump's threat to Venezuelan airspace sovereignty
Latin American states, organization slam Trump's threat to Venezuelan airspace sovereignty
Shanghai is improving its business environment starting from the neighborhood level to ensure the precision of the city management.
This footpath along the Suzhou Creek is a popular spot for leisure and exercise in the city.
Many visitors of the Fotografiska Museum like to have a cup of coffee and enjoy the outdoor vibe. But in fact, putting chairs outdoors is not a simple matter for the store itself.
When this gallery opened in 2023, it wanted to set up an outdoor seating area.
"We are located by the road and along the creek, so there are many joggers, sports enthusiasts, and tourists passing by. We need to consider how to balance our operations with the flow of people through the area,” said Crystal Cao, guest experience manager of the gallery.
The problem was quickly solved with the help of a "business environment specialist" in the neighborhood.
In Shanghai's North Station neighborhood, 12 specialists each oversee 30 to 40 local companies, ensuring that their requests are addressed promptly.
"My job is to communicate with enterprises and know their needs. If they have requests, we help solve them," said Sun Danyan, a business environment specialist of Shanghai North Station Neighborhood.
The gallery shared its plans with the specialist, who then reported them to the neighborhood office. The office coordinates with district-level departments, such as landscaping and city appearance bureaus, to design the outdoor area.
Without such specialists, companies, especially smaller ones, would have to navigate multiple departments on their own, which can be challenging.
"Small companies often have limited access to resources and information. They need our neighborhood office to provide support and help them access the resources they require," said Sang Zhenxiao, office director of Shanghai North Station Neighborhood.
Private enterprises account for more than 90 percent of Shanghai's businesses and are a key pillar of the city's economy.
Xu Jiao, deputy director of the Development and Reform Commission in Shanghai's Jing'an District, said the business environment is designed to support not only large or foreign firms, but also small local companies.
"The neighborhood is the closest to the companies and the last kilometer in the business environment. So, we use the ‘neighborhood serving as whistle blower to urge departments to report for duty’ to make our job more efficient. Any problems companies meet can be reported to the higher level via this mechanism," he said.
On the first workday of 2026, Shanghai launched its ninth version of the action plan to accelerate the development of a world-class business environment. The plan prioritizes government service efficiency as its first chapter.
Building a world-class business environment is also highlighted in the recommendation for China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), signaling a clear commitment to supporting enterprises, especially small and private companies.
Shanghai improves business environment starting from neighborhood level
