19/05/2008
Venezuela’s Air Space Violated by the United States
In two days Venezuela has denounced the violation of its territorial air space  by Colombia and the United States

During a press conference, the Minister of People’s Power for Defense, Gustavo Rangel Briceño, denounced on Monday, May 19, that a U.S. fighter jet violated Venezuelan air space on Saturday night, only one day after Caracas complained about the incursion by the Colombian army into Venezuelan territory. According to Rangel, who read aloud an excerpt of the conversation between the Venezuelan control tower and the U.S. pilot, explained that the latter was not aware he was in Venezuelan territory and that his course was set to the Caribbean island of Curaçao during a exercise flight. 

At the same press conference, the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister, Nicolás Maduro, announced how he had spoken with his Colombian counterpart, Fernando Araujo, about the incursion of the Colombian military into Venezuelan territory. He said they both agreed on activating diplomatic mechanisms in order to the settle cross-border conflicts via diplomatic means.

Regarding the U.S. fighter jet, Maduro said he will arrange a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, Patrick Duddy, in order to demand an explanation.

On Saturday, Venezuela protested the incursion of the Colombian military; however, on Sunday, the Colombian Defense Minister, Juan Manuel Santos, denied it was an “act of provocation” as the Venezuelan government described it. On March 1, Colombian troops illegally entered Ecuadorian territory in order to bombard a temporary FARC camp.

During the attack, the Colombian army slaughtered over 24 people (guerrilla members and civilians), including the FARC second-in-command, Raul Reyes, four Mexican students and an Ecuadorian citizen. The violation of Ecuador’s sovereignty led this country to break diplomatic relations with Colombia, whose government defended the attack and justified it as part of its war against “terrorism.”

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