The Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) of Venezuela announced this Wednesday that it destroyed an aircraft allegedly linked to drug trafficking in the state of Apure, located in the southwest of the country, bordering Colombia.
With this operation, the authorities claim to have downed 40 aircraft in 2025.
According to a statement released by the Operational Strategic Command of the FANB on social media, the action was part of the Strategic Operation Bolivarian Shield "Independence 200".
The institution indicated that the aircraft, a white twin-engine plane without markings or an authorized flight plan, was detected through reconnaissance and patrol operations in the municipality of Pedro Camejo.
The operational strategic commander, General Domingo Hernández Lárez, indicated that the Integrated Aerospace Defense System declared the aircraft as "hostile" due to the lack of a transponder and official permits.
According to the FANB, the aircraft was destroyed on the ground “to prevent its reutilization by violence-generating groups.”
This action reaffirms the state's commitment to the direct fight against the scourge of drug trafficking, stated the publication, citing direct orders from President Nicolás Maduro.
The FANB maintains that air interdiction operations are part of the defense of national territory and their "exemplary model" in the fight against drug trafficking, amid increasing pressures from Washington.
In fact, the measure occurs in a context of tension with the United States, which last August deployed naval air units in the Caribbean with the argument of combating drug trafficking, and just a few hours ago announced the destruction of three narco boats.
Caracas considers U.S. operations a "threat" and an attempt to politically pressure Maduro's government, which Washington does not recognize.
Since then, Venezuelan authorities have intensified their reports on the downing and disabling of aircraft allegedly involved in the illegal transport of drugs.
Venezuela asserts that the majority of the detected aircraft originate from Colombian territory, while international anti-drug control agencies indicate that the country continues to be a key corridor for shipments to the Caribbean and Central America.
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