1211 replies to this topic

[Panzermann]

Given the CAF flies Kfirs, cue the conspiracy theories...

 

Made me think "B-52 visitng Paris, circa 1972" or something like that.

[Stargrunt6]

A US EP-3 was shadowed by a Venezuelan SU-30 on July 21st. Venezuela claims the EP-3 went into Venezuela airspace. The US says the EP-3 was on an internationally approved and recognized flight.

Spoiler

The U.S. military rejected Venezuelas claim that a U.S. intelligence aircraft flew over the South American nations airspace on Friday, saying the American jet was over international waters and had been aggressively shadowed.

The U.S. Southern Command said Sunday on Twitter that the U.S. EP-3 was performing a multi-nationally recognized & approved mission when shadowed at an unsafe distance by a Venezuelan SU-30 Flanker, jeopardizing the crew & aircraft. Video of the incident was attached.

In a second tweet the U.S. said the action demonstrates Russias irresponsible military support of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros government. The Sukhoi SU-30 is a twin-engine Russian fighter aircraft.

Sundays comments were the first U.S. response to claims by officials with Maduros defense department that the U.S. had engaged in a clear provocation and acted in violation of international treaties.


The competing descriptions may further roil Washington-Caracas relations at a time Secretary of State Michael Pompeo is visiting Latin America, and as a summit of so-called anti-imperialist countries is held in Venezuelas capital.

Venezuelan defense officials sad the U.S. aircraft entered local airspace over the Caribbean in a one-hour flight in breach of international treaties, until it was pursued by the Venezuelan air force.

The flight created a safety risk for commercial aircraft in the vicinity of Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on Twitter.

Venezuela identified the U.S. plane as an EP-3E Aries II, which is a reconnaissance version of the P-3 Orion produced by Lockheed Martin Corp.

Maduros government on Saturday started a two-day summit of the Non Aligned Movement, with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and Russias deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in attendance. Pompeo has visited Argentina and Ecuador in the past few days and is traveling Sunday to Mexico and Honduras.

The U.S. has been trying to coalesce support around National Assembly leader Juan Guaido since the body declared him Venezuelas interim president in late January. More than 50 countries now support Guaido, and the U.S. regularly announces new sanctions against Maduro and his associates.

https://www.bloomber...ed-its-airspace

Yeah check out my post on the 21st.

[JasonJ]

Sorry, overlooked it.

[Stargrunt6]

Sorry, overlooked it.

All good, you posted a good article anyway.

[JWB]

ICE Puts Out Fugitive Alert for Hezbollah ‘Bag Man’ Running Venezuela’s Oil Industry

https://www.breitbar...s-oil-industry/

[Colin]

They should let him remain in charge of the oil industries, he is doing more damage to it, than the US ever could.

[Panzermann]

Venezuela has military exercises along the colombian border with about 150.000 personnel. (isn't that the whole armed forces? )

 

NEWS

Venezuela launches military exercises, warns Colombia
Venezuelan President Maduro has accused Colombia of plotting his overthrow, while Bogota said Venezuela harbors and backs rogue rebel fighters. The US offered Colombia its "full support" against any attempted aggression.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro deployed 150,000 troops to his country's border with Colombia as tensions continue to rise between the two countries.
 
"The moment has come to defend our sovereignty and national peace by deploying our defense resources in full force," Maduro said on Twitter.
 
Aside from personnel, Maduro's government deployed tanks and missile carriers to its western Tachira state, an area that has become the departure point for millions of Venezuelans migrating to the south. There are currently more than 1 million Venezuelans living in Colombia.
 
"This is an operation to defend our national territory," Remigio Ceballos, strategic commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, said. He added that Venezuela's army was ready to respond to attacks from Colombia, the United States or any other threat.
 

Venezuela-Colombia feud
 
The deployment is the latest in a string of military warnings Venezuela has leveled at Colombia, as relations between the two countries have steadily deteriorated.
 
Bogota has accused Venezuela of harboring Colombian armed rebels, estimating that as many as 1,000 National Liberation Army (ELN) operatives, some 40% of that rebel group's fighting force, are in Venezuela.
 
From there, the rebels have planned terrorist attacks, such as the car bombing at a Bogota police academy in January that killed more than 20 mostly young cadets, Colombia said.
 
 

In turn, Maduro has accused Colombia's conservative president, Ivan Duque, of harboring training camps for groups that plot violent attacks to against the Venezuelan government.
 
Colombian Vice-President Marta Lucia Ramirez said cooler heads should prevail: "We call on all Colombians for calm, knowing that we possess a sufficiently equipped and capable public force.
 
"We must not react to this threat, because it would be foolish to think it could be real," she said of Maduro's troop deployment.
 
US backs Colombia
 
US officials responded to Maduro's move on Tuesday by expressing unwavering support for Colombia.
 
Carlos Trujillo, US ambassador to the Organization of American States, said it was "totally unacceptable" that Maduro's "illegitimate government" was threatening the region's security and peace.
 
"Colombia's allies will do everything possible to help one of the best allies we've had, not only in the Americas but in the world," Trujillo told reporters.
 
The US special envoy to Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, went further.
 
"If there are cross-border attacks from Venezuela to Colombia, we can expect Colombians to react," Abrams said. "And obviously, we would fully support Colombia in that situation."
 
Venezuela has come under mounting pressure from the US and Colombia, who are among more than 50 nations that have declared Maduro illegitimate and backed opposition leader Juan Guaido's push to oust the socialist president.
 
But Maduro has managed to maintain the army's support, despite several defections, and he is still supported by major international powers such as China, Russia and traditional ally Cuba.
 
jcg/sms (AP, AFP)


 
 
 
​

https://www.dw.com/e...mbia/a-50379108


 
from el preisdente himself:

Nicolás Maduro
‏@NicolasMaduro

A partir de hoy #10Sep comienzan los Ejercicios Militares Fronterizos “Soberanía y Paz 2019” para que juntos, en unión Cívico–Militar, despleguemos todos los sistemas defensivos que garanticen la Paz y la tranquilidad del pueblo venezolano.
 
From today #10Sep begins the Border Military Exercises "Sovereignty and Peace 2019" so that together, in Civic-Military union, we can deploy all the defensive systems that guarantee the Peace and tranquility of the Venezuelan people.
 
​

https://twitter.com/...397564463276032

Edited by Panzermann, 11 September 2019 - 1108 AM.

[Jeff]

Venezuela has military exercises along the colombian border with about 150.000 personnel. (isn't that the whole armed forces? )

 

[Stuart Galbraith]

Galtieri's Gambit. You would have figured South America would have learned better by now.

[Ssnake]

Well, FARC's been arming up again in the last months, and many Venezolans have fled to Columbia; time for a Heim ins Reich moment.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Im glad the Osties never felt like that....

[BansheeOne]

Date 03.11.2019

 

El Salvador expels Venezuelan diplomats, recognizes Juan Guaido

 

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has kicked out Nicolas Maduro's diplomatic corps, giving them two days to leave the country. But he hasn't entirely closed the door to Venezuelan representation.

 

El Salvador announced late Saturday that Venezuelan diplomats serving under embattled President Nicolas Maduro had 48 hours to leave the country. He added that El Salvador would welcome a future diplomatic corps sent by opposition leader Juan Guaido.

 

The move was the latest example of a country publically designating Maduro's presidency in Venezuela as illegitimate. Guaido is currently leading an opposition movement against longterm ruler Maduro. Multiple countries, as well as international groupings, have backed Guaido. 

While Guaido has managed to secure control over several Venezuelan Embassies abroad, including in the US. However, his opposition movement has been unable remove Maduro from power, and the country has found itself in a political stalemate while dealing with a humanitarian crisis.

 

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele (above) announced the expulsion in a memo published on Twitter. In it, he said his government "recognized  the legitimacy of the interim president, Juan Guaido, until free elections can be held, in accordance with the Venezuelan constitution."

 

Bukele also said his government's decision was in line with previous reports from a UN human rights commission that Maduro had systematically violated its citizens' rights.

 

Outspoken against 'dictator' Maduro

 

Bukele, a member of the conservative Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA), has voiced his opposition to the socialist Maduro on prior occasions, such as during his inauguration into office this past June.

 

"Dictators like Maduro in Venezuela will never be legitimate because they maintain power by force and do not respect the will of their people," he said at his swearing-in.

 

[...]

 

https://www.dw.com/e...aido/a-51095475

 

I looked up Mr. Bukele due to his unusual name, and find his parents' are even more gorgeous.

 

He is a son of Olga Ortez de Bukele and Armando Bukele Kattán, a prominent businessman and local imam of Palestinian ancestry.

 

https://en.wikipedia...ki/Nayib_Bukele

 

He comes off looking like a saint. No, really.