Venezuela reports ‘illegal’ US F-35 flight near its borders
At least five aircraft were spotted off the coast, Caracas claims
Venezuela has accused the US of “illegally” flying F-35 fighter planes near its borders, amid rising tensions in the Caribbean.
Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto said the “illegal incursion” was detected on Thursday around 75 kilometers off the coast near the city of Maiquetia. He denounced the maneuvers as “a provocation that threatens national sovereignty and violates international law.”
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez claimed that at least five F-35s were spotted flying at a speed of 400 knots and an altitude of 35,000 feet. He noted it was the first time aircraft of this type had been deployed in the area.
Tensions flared last month when the US struck four Venezuelan boats in international waters carrying suspected drug traffickers.
READ MORE: US ‘preparing options’ for strikes inside Venezuela – NBC
US President Donald Trump later dispatched a naval armada to the region, accusing Caracas of working with “narco-terrorist” cartels to target the US. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rejected the allegations and vowed to defend his country against any attack.
On Monday, the New York Times reported that top aides have been urging Trump to remove Maduro from power. The US president has denied planning regime change, though he imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuela during his first term in office.
