Trump gave order to the Pentagon: Maduro's planes will be shot down if they get too close to Caribbean deployment
The statement comes after the Pentagon claimed that two Venezuelan fighter jets performed a "highly provocative" maneuver by approaching a U.S. warship in international waters.
U.S. President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump launched a firm warning to the Nicolas Maduro regime, saying any Venezuelan aircraft that poses a threat to U.S. ships or personnel in international waters could be shot down.
During a meeting with reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked about the recent Venezuelan aircraft flights near a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Caribbean. His response was blunt: "If they do put us in a dangerous position, they’ll be shot down."
When questioned about the possibility of new air incidents, Trump pointed out that the commanders in charge of operations are authorized to respond with the necessary force in case of a threat.
Context of the warning
The statement comes after the Pentagon alleged that two Venezuelan fighter jets conducted a "highly provocative" maneuver while approaching a U.S. warship in international waters. The Department of Defense warned that it will not allow Caracas to interfere in operations against drug trafficking and terrorism in the southern Caribbean.
"Today, two Maduro regime military aircraft flew near a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters. This highly provocative move was designed to interfere with our counter-narco-terror operations. The cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not to pursue any further effort to obstruct, deter, or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terror operations carried out by the U.S. military," the Department of Defense said in a statement.
The heightened tensions are also marked by the recent operation by U.S. forces against a vessel linked to the Venezuelan-based Tren de Aragua criminal organization.
Links with drug trafficking
The Trump administration has repeatedly singled out dictator Nicolás Maduro for his alleged links to drug trafficking, and as part of that pressure, offered a $50 million reward for his capture. From Caracas, Maduro responded by dismissing the accusations and described the U.S. naval deployment in the Caribbean as a "criminal and bloody threat."
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