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US aircraft violates Venezuelan airspace for second time in last 3 days — minister

Last Saturday, the Venezuelan Defense Ministry said that a US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft had violated Venezuela's airspace

Venezuelan Minister of Communications and Information Jorge Rodriguez EPA-EFE/RAUL MARTINEZ

Venezuelan Minister of Communications and Information Jorge Rodriguez

© EPA-EFE/RAUL MARTINEZ

CARACAS, July 22. /TASS/. A US reconnaissance aircraft has violated the Venezuelan airspace for the second time in three days, Minister of Communications and Information Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday.

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"At this moment, the same or very similar aircraft is once again crossing into our zone of responsibility around the airport in Maiquetia," Rodriguez told a press conference that was broadcast on Twitter.

Last Saturday, the Venezuelan Defense Ministry said that a US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft had violated Venezuela's airspace. Several Venezuelan planes were sent to intercept the reconnaissance aircraft. The ministry said that after this, the US aircraft "changed its course and left the region."

A spokesperson for the US Southern Command said that the aircraft was carrying out tasks in the international aispace over the Caribbean.

According to Rodroguez, US military aircraft have violated Venezuela's airspace 78 times since the start of the year. The Venezuelan authorites believe that US aircraft were collecting reconnaissance on those missions.

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