Venezuela Shoots Down Two Planes, Mexico Foreign Secretary Asks Questions David Gagne - InSight Crime
go to original December 14, 2014

One of the Mexican-registered planes shot down in Venezuela (Twitter)

Two Mexican aircraft - one of which was suspected of transiting illicit drugs - were shot down in Venezuela for reportedly illegally entering the country's airspace, underscoring the potential dangers involved in these type of interdiction operations.

On December 8 and December 9, Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez posted on Twitter (see below) photos of planes with Mexican licenses that were reportedly shot down by the Venezuelan military. Both planes were taken down in Venezuela's northwest department of Apure, according to La Jornada.

Una vez más nuestra Defensa Aeroespacial Integral detecta, intercepta e inmoviliza aeronave que ingresó ilegalmente. pic.twitter.com/MmW6m2698W

— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) December 9, 2014

One of the planes, "violated [Venezuelan] airspace, presumably for drug trafficking purposes" Padrino's December 8 tweet reads.

Otra aeronave inmovilizada por la FANB al SE de Elorza. Violó espacio aéreo presumiblemente con fines de narcotráfico pic.twitter.com/4sBzAjjNWb

— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) December 9, 2014

Mexico's Secretary on Foreign Relations has requested confirmation from the Venezuelan government of the social media reports, reported BBC Mundo. The status of the pilots of the two planes remains unclear, reported Excelsior.

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