The official tally shows that in 2025 alone, the Venezuelan Armed Forces decommissioned at least 28 aircraft involved in unauthorized flight operations as part of the measures activated by the Control Law enacted more than a decade ago. This figure highlights a trend that, according to Europa Press, is part of increased surveillance in the Colombia-Venezuelan border area. In this context, Venezuelan soldiers recently forced the landing of an aircraft identified as “enemy” in the municipality of Pedro Camejo, Apure state, after it flew in irregularly from the east of Bolívar state and did not meet the identification standards required by the country.
Europa Press reported that the intrusion recorded on Friday came after it was detected by Venezuelan early warning radar systems. Authorities observed the movement of a device with no visible license plate in white color, which had no flight plan, no identification code and left the radio frequency systems turned off. According to Europa Press, these characteristics raised alarm among military commanders, leading to the order to intercept the attack with F-16 fighter jets.
The head of the Strategic Operations Command of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB), Domingo Hernández Lárez, explained in detail how the operation was carried out. According to his statements, quoted by Europa Press both in an official statement and on the social network Instagram, the plane persisted on its westward course and never followed the protocols established by national legislation. At that moment, the three F-16s took off to intercept it and force its descent, an operation that ended with the ship landing on Venezuelan territory.
Interception was part of the national airspace defense policy. Hernández Lárez stated: “Venezuela is a country of peace, freedom and democracy, law and justice, where drug trafficking is fought daily and head-on. We do not produce, process or consume, much less we will be a platform for transnational drug terrorism.” These words, reported by Europa Press, reiterate the official position of the Government of Caracas, which bases the response to irregular flights on the argument of protecting national sovereignty and combating transnational organized crime.
The Europa Press medium also collected information on air control policy in Venezuela. According to the military high command, since the adoption of the Control Law for Comprehensive Defense of Venezuelan Airspace in 2013, authorities have detected and intercepted at least 419 aircraft violating national airspace. According to military sources, surveillance and response measures have been strengthened every year as threats related to illegal activities in the region have increased.
The latest interception comes at a time of tension and international operations in the region. Europa Press noted that this action coincides with United States bombings of ships in the Caribbean and the Pacific as part of operations against suspected drug trafficking groups. In addition, Washington has publicly expressed the possibility of carrying out attacks on targets on Venezuelan territory itself as part of its anti-narcotics strategy.
The security environment on the border between Venezuela and Colombia is considered one of the most closely monitored on the continent. As Europa Press reports, the activity of irregular groups using the complex river, air and land network for drug trafficking determines the frequency of operations. Venezuelan authorities trace drug trafficking links to unmarked flights, classify them as threats to national security and justify their interception in accordance with the law.
The proactive stance of the Venezuelan State, reflected in official and operational messages, responds to the need to curb the illegal use of its airspace. Europa Press noted that the armed forces are constantly resorting to law enforcement and also increasing official propaganda that emphasizes independence, defense of sovereignty and refusal to become a base for drug trafficking or criminal acts of transnational scope.
Finally, the operation carried out in Apure is presented not just as an isolated event, but as part of a pattern of intensified surveillance, wiretapping, and increasing tensions with international actors. The specific case reinforces the state’s message of fighting illegal flight routes and defending the territory against organized crime in a particularly conflict-ridden and monitored section of the regional map, as documented by Europa Press.
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