(Source: The Associated Press) – U.S. authorities on Sunday said that a Venezuelan fighter jet “aggressively shadowed” an American intelligence plane flying in international airspace over the Caribbean, underscoring rising tensions between the two nations.
The U.S. Southern Command said that Venezuela’s action demonstrates reckless behaviour by President Nicolas Maduro, whose government accused the U.S. plane of entering Venezuelan airspace.
U.S. authorities said their EP-3 plane was performing a multi-nationally approved mission on Friday and the Venezuelan SU-30 fighter jet closely trailed the plane, which the U.S. says endangered its crew.
The response by the Venezuelan fighter jet “undermines int’l rule of law & efforts to counter illicit trafficking,” U.S. authorities tweeted, providing video of what they said was the Russian-made jet.
The Trump administration and more than 50 other nations back opposition leader Juan Guaido’s attempt to oust Maduro, whom they accuse of leading the country into a historic crisis. The socialist leader maintains support from countries including Cuba, China and Russia.
“This latest action also demonstrates Russia’s irresponsible military support to the illegitimate Maduro regime and adds to Maduro’s growing legacy of reckless and negligent behaviour,” U.S. officials said in a statement.
Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said the U.S. plane entered Venezuelan airspace without prior notification, violating international rules. He said the flight also endangered commercial flights from Venezuela’s main airport.
Upon identifying the plane as a U.S. electronic intelligence gathering aircraft, the fighter jet escorted it from the region, Venezuelan authorities said, adding that there have been 76 such incidents this year.
“The Armed Forces of Venezuela firmly reject this type of provocation on the part of the United States of America,” Padrino Lopez said in a statement. “We will continually be alert to watching over the tranquility of the Venezuelan people.”
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who is a harsh critic of Maduro, issued a warning to Venezuela while tweeting video images of the fighter jet.
“Venezuela only has 3 fighter jets that can fly,” Rubio said on Twitter. “If they ever harmed any U.S. aircraft they would soon have zero.”
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The USA is provoking the Venezuelan government. The same way they’re provoking the Irania government. They’re just looking for any excuse to go war. One of these days things are going to backfire on warmongering USA.
That the BLP has now invited the FBI here, is this a sign that they are in bed with Trump over Venezuela?
Imagine a government that can’t afford to import basic toiletries or foodstuff for it’s people can find money to spend on fighter jets. It’s time for the west Indies and Americas to get rid of these dictators who pretend to be Patriots but are really arrogant self serving buffons .
The spin cycle has begun. History tells us what’s next.
Aren’t Putin and trump friends? If Russia is giving Venezuela military support them Trump and Putin should hash that out behind closed doors. Btw. This sounds like fake news.
America is all throughout the world looking to make war with anyone that will take them on. They can’t stand to see this world peaceful at all. I would like to wake up a morning and hear that that place has been wiped from off the map.
That is their (the USA`s )way of starting a conflict. Them and Israel is doing the same crap all over the world.
Sylvan Greenidge did u check it out it fake news
This is the same USA that accused a leader of having weapons of mass destruction, bombed the country, captured and murdered the leader and to this day not a piece of a weapon was found.
The world accepted that.