Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said Wednesday that Venezuela has intercepted five US fighter jets off of its Caribbean coastline. He referred to these as F-35s. According to the Venezuelan government, they were able to identify the planes at least 75 kilometers — or approximately 46 miles — from the Venezuelan coast. This shocking disclosure has fueled even more rancor between the Venezuelan and U.S. capitals.
The F-35 fighter jets literally screamed overhead at 400 knots. They flew high, reaching a breath-taking height of 35,000 feet. Speaking at a press conference in Caracas September 1, Foreign Minister Padrino underscored the gravity of the circumstances. He stated, “They are combat aircraft. Combat aircraft that US imperialism has dared to approach the Venezuelan coast.”
Padrino issued a warning to the United States, saying, “We are watching you, and I want you to know that this does not intimidate us.” This somewhat alarming statement is a sign of Venezuela’s increasing nervousness about US military maneuvers in the region during the current low-level diplomatic war.
The US Department of Defense stated that at least five F-35 fighter jets landed in Puerto Rico in mid-September. This deployment tracks with accounts of an escalating American military footprint in the Caribbean. From the north, the US has sent a number of warships to the region, an action that Venezuela has used to paint as a U.S. But US officials insist that these operations are aimed at countering drug trafficking.
This now includes recent US military operations, which sought to sink at least four boats. These strikes caused the deaths of more than a dozen intended targets, each suspected of drug trafficking. Critics counter that the US has not come through with compelling proof. They assert the allegations against those targeted that they were engaged in criminal activity are still unproven.
Apart from the fighter jets, a contingent of U.S. Marines has been busy rehearsing amphibious landings. For now, they’re running these exercises on the ground in Puerto Rico. Despite this positive step, the situation is still very precarious as both nations attempt to reenter the troubled waters of their relationship. The government of Venezuela has rightly viewed these military exercises as unambiguous provocations. The US continues to argue that its actions are justified under the law as counter-narcotics operations.
As tempers flare, the question now is how the two governments will manage this rapidly changing – and potentially explosive – situation.
