Venezuela denounced a "
violation of its airspace
" Thursday, July 22 by an
American "
military transport
" plane
in the northwest of its territory on the Colombian border.
"
The Bolivarian National Armed Force denounces the violation of Venezuelan airspace by a C-17 military transport plane belonging to the American air forces, a fact which took place Thursday, July 22,
" according to the statement released Friday by the army, which speaks of "
flagrant provocation
".
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More diplomatic relations with the United States
The plane spent "
three minutes
" there, between "
8:47 p.m. and 8:50 p.m.
", "
traveling 14 nautical miles over the westernmost zone of the Sierra de Perija
", according to the
press
release which assures "
American planes
". "
Violated
" Venezuelan airspace "
21 times
" this year. Caracas emphasizes that this “
violation
” is “
in the context of military exercises
” in Colombia.
On July 16, the Colombian army announced that it was carrying out joint aerial maneuvers with the “
American air forces
”. Venezuela says it does not "
rule out other hostile actions
" undermining its "
sovereignty
" and its "
territorial integrity
", accusing these armies of carrying out "
operations to recognize Venezuelan geographical space
". "
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gave orders
" to the army, asking it to "
respond with force to any aggression
".
Venezuela no longer has diplomatic relations with the United States and Colombia, its two main adversaries on the international scene. His government is subject to financial sanctions imposed in particular by the United States, which seeks to oust Nicolas Maduro from power. Despite 2,200 kilometers of common borders, Venezuela and Colombia, ideologically opposed, no longer have diplomatic relations since Bogota recognized the opponent Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela in 2019.
