Venezuelan Air Force F-16 (front) and Su-30MK2 (back) during a flyover. Photo: FANB/File photo.
This Wednesday, Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) shot down an aircraft associated with drug trafficking that violated the airspace in the Pedro Camejo municipality, Apure state, near the border with Colombia.
The information was shared by the head of the FANB Strategic Operational Command (CEOFANB), General Domingo Hernández Lárez, on his social media accounts. He also explained that the aircraft flew over the municipality without identification or flight plan and was navigating with a disconnected transponder.
Similarly, Hernández Lárez announced that so far in 2023, 11 aircraft that violated Venezuelan airspace have been disabled through the various operations carried out by the FANB against drug trafficking cartels.
En el municipio Pedro Camejo del estado Apure, #FANB inutiliza aeronave hostil no identificada asociada al narcotráfico, por violación del espacio aéreo venezolano, carecer de plan de vuelo y navegar con transponder desconectado, siendo la Nº 11 del año 2023.#EscudoBolivariano pic.twitter.com/jgfybZ7cOP
— GJ. Domingo Hernández Lárez (@dhernandezlarez) March 29, 2023
“FANB will guarantee the independence and sovereignty of the nation and will secure the integrity of the geographical space, through military defense,” wrote General Hernández Lárez. “Venezuela is a democratic state of law and justice; we will not be a platform for drug trafficking.”
La #FANB garantizará la independencia y soberanía de la Nación y asegurará la integridad del espacio geográfico, mediante la defensa militar. Venezuela es un Estado democrático de derecho y de justicia, no seremos plataforma del narcotráfico. #EscudoBolivariano2023 pic.twitter.com/m26kDOBzxe
— GJ. Domingo Hernández Lárez (@dhernandezlarez) March 29, 2023
Hernández Lárez added that the FANB maintains numerous operations aimed at countering drug trafficking in the border states, in order to destroy planes linked to this illegal activity and disable illegal airfields, among other structures related to armed terrorist drug-trafficking groups (TANCOLs).
(RedRadioVE) by Dubraska Esteves
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
