Тensions between the United States and Venezuela have reached a critical point after American military aircraft overflew Caribbean waters, coinciding with the designation of the so-called "Cartel of the Suns" as a terrorist organization.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry described the overflight as a "ridiculous farce" and an "infamous and vile lie to justify an illegitimate and illegal intervention against Venezuela". Vice President Delcy Rodriguez stated that the designation is an attempt by the White House to go "from failure to failure".
The overflight occurred on the same day that the United States officially classified the alleged "Cartel of the Suns"—a drug trafficking network linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking officials—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The pressure was also felt in civil aviation: at least 22 flights scheduled to depart from Caracas were canceled after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration urged "extreme caution" when flying over Venezuelan territory, citing increased military activity.
