An alleged attempt to breach Venezuelan airspace by a United States intelligence aircraft has triggered a strong condemnation from the Caracas authorities. The Minister of Defense, General-in-Chief Vladimir Padrino López, denounced the incident, which took place yesterday, Sunday, July 27, coinciding with the administrative elections held in the country.

According to Padrino López, a military RC-135 aircraft of the United States Air Force, classified as an intelligence plane, reportedly approached to about 80 miles north of La Orchila Island, a strategic area in the Venezuelan Caribbean. The incident raised particular concern since, unusually, the aircraft apparently "requested permission and submitted a flight plan", a behavior atypical for a plane that, according to the minister, usually "disregards all authorities".

From the control tower of Maiquetía International Airport, Venezuela's main air hub, entry to the US aircraft was categorically denied. The air traffic control authorities cited the incursion into the "Flight Information Region (FIR)", an internationally recognized flight information area. This action, emphasized the Minister of Defense, amounts to a clear violation of international aviation regulations.

"We reject the imperialist attitude of disrespecting the sovereignty of our airspace", declared Padrino López, reaffirming Venezuela's firm stance in defense of its territorial integrity and national sovereignty in the face of what Caracas considers external provocations. The incident fits within a backdrop of already tense relations between Venezuela and the United States, marked by frequent mutual accusations and ongoing surveillance of aerial movements in the Caribbean region. Venezuelan intelligence has initiated investigations to assess the scope and intentions of such a maneuver.