Overview

• Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López condemned the alleged flights as military harassment in a speech broadcast on state television.
• Caracas said five U.S. fighter jets operated near Venezuelan Caribbean waters and called the move a provocation.
• Recent U.S. actions in the region have included firing on multiple suspected drug boats linked to Venezuela, with at least 14 people reported killed.
• Washington accuses Venezuela of involvement in narcotics trafficking to the U.S. market, a charge President Nicolás Maduro denies.
• The latest claim adds to already strained relations as disputes over military activity and sovereignty continue in the southern Caribbean.