RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Defense Minister and head of the Venezuelan armed forces, General Vladimir Padrino López, said during a public appearance that a US Navy ship had approached within 30 nautical miles of the Venezuelan coast.
General Padrino described the intrusion into Venezuelan waters as both a “threat” and a “provocation”. The action reflected the “arrogant attitude” of the US government.
In parallel, Padrino warned Craig Faller, head of the Southern Command of the US Armed Force that should the US venture into Venezuelan territory to conduct military operations, “it will get an immediate response from our forces.”
The Southern Command issued a press release in which it expressly praised the actions of the warship USS Nitze. In an “operation to ensure navigational freedom,” the ship crossed an area over which “the illegitimate Maduro regime mistakenly claims control,” the statement said.
Further, the US Army writes that free access to international waters “protects the national interests of the United States, promotes a just international order and ensures that the US Navy can carry out important tasks, including humanitarian relief operations, disaster relief operations, support for international drug control efforts and multinational exercises to strengthen regional partnerships”.
This is not the first time that Venezuela has complained of a violation of its territorial sovereignty by the United States. The last time, on May 3rd this year, members of a US mercenary company were arrested during an attempted invasion.
Silvercorp, the private security firm that led the operation, had connections with Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Guaidó, who is recognized by the US as the country’s “interim president”.
In April, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry criticized the US plans to increase its military presence off the coast of the South American country under the pretext of an alleged “anti-drug operation”.
Source: Amerika21