Venezuela’s Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, stated this Sunday, December 14, that the country has strengthened its airspace surveillance and control system due to tensions with the United States, which maintains a military presence in the Caribbean with the argument of combating drug trafficking.
“The National Bolivarian Armed Force of Venezuela recognizes as one of its greatest triumphs having achieved an admirable level of technological independence, despite the criminal economic blockade, coercive sanctions and the most grotesque warmongering escalation by the US,” said Padrino López, in a statement cited by the Spanish agency EFE.
The minister stated that the “hostile circumstances” improved operational autonomy and the creation of own resources, which “strengthens the power of national defense”.
“With its modern radars, missile systems, anti-aircraft artillery and the use of aircraft in close coordination with the Bolivarian Military Aviation, the Integral Aerospace Defense Command is at the forefront of the nation’s integral defense,” he added.
On Friday, Vladimir Padrino López denounced an attempted intimidation by the United States with the overflight of F-18 fighters, which last Tuesday entered the airspace of the Gulf of Venezuela, according to the aviation tracking service Flightradar24.
Padrino López stated, during an event celebrating the 47th anniversary of CODAI, broadcast on the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), that this action will not shake the Armed Force or the Venezuelan people.
“We have the ability to react and defend our airspace, make no mistake and do not continue with your game of psychological operations that we do not accept in any way”, he reiterated.
On Tuesday, two North American F-18 fighter jets entered the airspace over the waters of the Gulf of Venezuela for about 40 minutes.
A few weeks ago, the Pentagon sent a ship, which joined a huge contingent that Washington has maintained in the Caribbean since the end of August and which represents its largest deployment in the region in decades, under the argument of combating drug trafficking.
Caracas considers this to be a threat to promote a change of government.