New Tension Between Venezuela and America After Fighter Jets Fly Near Venezuelan Coasts

In an incident described by Venezuelan officials as "illegal incursion," Venezuela accused the United States of sending five fighter jets that flew near its coasts in the Caribbean Sea.

This incident coincided with rising tensions between the two countries, as Washington sent warships and fighter jets to the region as part of operations it said aimed to combat drug trafficking.

In a joint statement from the Venezuelan Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, the United States was accused of "provocation" and threatening the safety of civil aviation. The statement noted that the American planes were spotted 75 kilometers from the Venezuelan coasts, but did not clarify whether they had violated Venezuelan airspace.

For his part, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino stated that the American planes approached the Venezuelan coasts without justification, confirming that the Venezuelan air defense system detected the fighters without providing additional details.

The United States, for its part, confirmed that it sent "F-35" aircraft to its territory in Puerto Rico as part of an operation aimed at combating drug trafficking, where Washington accuses Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his government of smuggling drugs into the United States.

It also recently announced the destruction of several boats that it said were following "terrorists" involved in drug trafficking.

Earlier, Washington confirmed that it destroyed three boats in the area, resulting in the deaths of 17 people.

In response to these American moves, Venezuela conducted military maneuvers and mobilized its reserve forces in the face of what it considered a military threat.

Caracas also announced its firm rejection of these accusations, expressing its readiness to respond to any threats from the American side.

In other statements, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed in an official memo to Congress that the United States is "engaged in a non-international armed conflict" with drug gangs.

He explained that these groups have become "more armed and organized," causing the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans each year due to drugs.

Trump requested Congress's support for the recent military operations conducted by his forces in the Caribbean, considering that these operations were part of defending U.S. interests and protecting it from drug trafficking.

Amid this escalation, the situation in the Caribbean Sea remains a new point of tension between the two countries, as Venezuela and the United States exchange accusations of provocation and violation.