"Two US fighter jets circled the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday, in what appeared to be an escalation of the Trump administration's ongoing hostilities toward the South American country and its leftist leader, Nicolas Maduro. Venezuelans and South American media followed the flights in real time using websites like FlightRadar24, which showed a pair of F/A-18 Super Hornets flying together into the narrow Gulf of Venezuela for about 40 minutes. The jets flew just north of Maracaibo, Venezuela's most populous city."
"Venezuela claims the gulf as part of its national territory. But the United States has historically challenged Venezuela's definitions of its boundaries, saying they butt into international waters and airspace. The Department of Defense played down the development in a statement to the Guardian. The Department conducts routine, lawful operations in international airspace, including over the Gulf of Venezuela, a Pentagon official wrote. We will continue to fly safely, professionally, and in accordance with international law to protect the homeland, monitor illicit activity, and support stability across the Americas."
US F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers flew into the Gulf of Venezuela for about 40 minutes, circling just north of Maracaibo. FlightRadar24 and regional media tracked the flights in real time. Venezuela claims the gulf as national territory; the United States disputes those boundary definitions, characterizing parts as international waters and airspace. The Pentagon said US forces conduct routine, lawful operations in international airspace and will continue to fly safely in accordance with international law. The flights coincided with rising tensions related to the US rebranding of drug traffickers as enemy combatants and a US campaign that has killed about 87 people off Latin American coasts.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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