[News] Venezuelan Armed Forces Vow to Defend Airspace as US Increases Warplane Deployment

[Anti-Imperialist News]

venezuelanalysis.com
<https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuelan-armed-forces-vow-to-defend-airspace-as-us-increases-warplane-deployment/>
Venezuelan Armed Forces Vow to Defend Airspace as US Increases Warplane
DeploymentDecember 15, 2025
------------------------------
[image: image.png]

Venezuela's air defenses include Russian-supplied S-125 Pechora systems.
(Venezuelan Defense Ministry)

Caracas, December 15, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan Armed
Forces reiterated their commitment to defend the Caribbean nation’s
airspace amid an escalating US military buildup and provocations.

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino issued a statement Sunday to mark the
47th anniversary of the Venezuelan Integral Airspace Defense Command
(CODAI), hailing the system’s “effective and immediate” response
capabilities against “imperialist threats.”

“With its modern radars, missile systems and surface-to-air artillery,
CODAI has become the vanguard of the country’s defense,” Padrino wrote
<https://www.instagram.com/p/DSPjF-9lTjf/> on social media. The defense
minister went on to highlight CODAI’s “technological independence.”

Padrino’s comments occurred amid a large-scale US military buildup in the
Caribbean in a self-declared anti-narcotics mission. The Trump
administration has repeatedly threatened to launch strikes against
purported drug targets inside Venezuelan territory.

After moving their largest US aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to
the region in November, US forces have likewise ramped up warplane
deployments to bases in Puerto Rico. According to reports
<https://www.twz.com/air/navy-ea-18g-growlers-have-touched-down-in-puerto-rico>,
the US Navy moved six EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets to the
island’s Roosevelt Roads naval station.

Designed by Boeing, the EA-18G Growlers have advanced capabilities to
disrupt and deceive enemy military electronic systems, including air
defenses.

Open-access flight tracking websites have shown EA-18G Growlers operating
in the Caribbean in recent days.  On Tuesday, F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter
jets flew <https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0edxgx31zdo> for 40 minutes
close to the Gulf of Venezuela in the country’s west. Analysts argued that
the warplanes could have been mapping air defense systems spotted in the
region days before.

On Friday night, social media users watching flight trackers reported that
a Growler, codenamed GRIZZLY2, and a Super Hornet, codenamed RHINO61, were
flying over Venezuela’s Los Roques archipelago and continental mainland,
respectively. However, the false positions were a consequence of trackers
such as Flight Radar 24 extrapolating
<https://x.com/flightradar24/status/1999685487477363194> an aircraft’s
position for a limited time after losing signal on the basis of the last
measured position and speed.

The Venezuelan government and armed forces have consistently denounced the
US military maneuvers, accusing Washington of attempting to fabricate a
false flag incident to justify an open conflict.

The US’ increased military activity has also affected commercial aviation.
On Sunday, JetBlue denounced
<https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jetblue-venezuela-near-midair-collision-with-us-air-force-tanker/>
that an airplane on a Curaçao-New York had to halt its ascent due to the
presence of a US Air Force refueling tanker in its path. Curaçao is 40
miles away from Venezuela’s coast.

US authorities have also issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) urging extra
caution to planes flying in Venezuela’s Flight Information Region (FIR).
For his part, Trump wrote on social media that Venezuela’s airspace should
be “considered closed.”

International airlines flying to and from Caracas have suspended
<https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/most-international-airlines-servicing-venezuela-suspend-flights-as-us-intensifies-pressure/>
their services. Venezuelan companies continue to offer connections to
regional destinations including Panama City, Bogotá and Santo Domingo.
ALBA alliance condemns US threats

Amidst the ongoing US military threats and buildup, the Nicolás Maduro
government has received diplomatic backing from its main allies. Last week,
the Venezuelan leader held phone calls
<https://x.com/venanalysis/status/1999336805619937455> with his Russian,
Iranian and Brazilian counterparts to discuss bilateral relations and the
threats to peace in the region.

On Sunday, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America
(ALBA-TCP) held a virtual summit
<https://albaciudad.org/2025/12/alba-tcp-amenazas-militares-doctrina-monroe/>
and issued a statement condemning
<https://albaciudad.org/2025/12/alba-tcp-amenazas-militares-doctrina-monroe/>
the Trump administration’s declared intentions to enforce the Monroe
Doctrine in the hemisphere.

The regional body likewise condemned recent US hostile actions, including
the seizure
<https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-condemns-us-tanker-seizure-as-international-piracy-as-a-potential-oil-blockade-looms/>
of a tanker carrying Venezuelan crude last week. The US Treasury Department
followed
<https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-trump-administration-ramps-up-oil-sanctions-targets-tankers/>
by imposing new sanctions, blacklisting shipping companies allegedly
involved in transporting Venezuelan oil.

Venezuela’s state oil company denounced <https://t.me/PDVSA_Ve/6097> a
cyberattack targeting its operational capabilities but stated that its
effects had been minimized. According to Bloomberg
<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-15/venezuela-says-oil-export-system-down-after-weekend-cyberattack>,
the reported attack caused loading delays in Venezuela’s main oil terminal.

The White House has justified its military buildup and coercive measures
escalation with “narcoterrorism” charges against Maduro and other top
Venezuelan officials. However, US agencies have not provided court-tested
evidence to back the claims, while reports from specialized agencies have
shown Venezuela to play a marginal role in global drug trafficking.

International leaders
<https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/petro-cree-que-lo-%C3%BAnico-que-interesa-a-trump-de-venezuela-es-el-acceso-a-su-petr%C3%B3leo/90497280>
and foreign policy analysts
<https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/10/24/the-us-warships-off-venezuela-arent-there-to-fight-drugs>
have stated that Washington’s ultimate goal is regime change to seize
control of Venezuela’s natural resources
<https://venezuelanalysis.com/infographics/subsoil-bonanza-venezuelas-natural-resources/>
.

*Edited by Cira Pascual Marquina in Caracas.*
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