Military Watch Magazine: Does Venezuela have the most powerful Air Force in Latin America?

For at least 20 years, Venezuela has been directly threatened by the United States regime. Over time, the threat changes, ranging from a coup to a possible military invasion. The latter would provoke an unprecedented war conflict in the region.

Faced with this scenario, former President Hugo Chávez decided that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) should update its arsenal of weapons. With his strategic vision, he managed to empower the Venezuelan’s weapons arsenal so the country would have a way to defend itself against an eventual military venture.

The threats against Venezuela have been continuous and have worsened over the past two years. The last US president, Donald Trump, constantly repeated that «all scenarios were on the table». That included a possible military intervention to assault the Political Power in the South American country. In this way, they could control their oil riches, something they have desired to get back again, for more than two decades when Chávez ended the privileges they had in Venezuelan territory.

In the middle of that scenario a question arises. Why has the United States not carried out a military intervention and unleashed all its war power, as it has done in the Middle East, to cite one example?

The Russian anti-aircraft shield

The United States knows that Venezuela has one of the largest anti-aircraft shields in the region. That, in addition to an advanced air fleet to counter and attack any threat to its sovereignty. It is also necessary to mention other elements such as its troops, the marine and land fleet and the combatants in reserve. Many of the latter are trained in war tactics to confront US military «superiority». That is why Washington prefers to employ seditious and terrorist tactics on Venezuelan soil.

Recently, Military Watch magazine reported that Venezuela has the “strongest Air Force in Latin America”. The country has a combination of 23 Russian Su-30MK2 multipurpose fighters, added to the prodigious S-300VM missile system.

To all this, we must add air defense systems S-300VM, Buk-M2 and the medium-range Pechora-2M. It also has a large number of T-72B1V, BMP-3, BTR-80A, SAU Msta-S tanks, Noah-SVK self-propelled weapons, MLRS Grad and Smerch. Meanwhile, the ground forces are equipped with Igla-S MANPADS and ZU-23 / 30m1-4 systems, bazookas and missiles, which can be launched by soldiers in ground-to-air combat.

Venezuela and its anti-aircraft shield

The United States and its allies know that Venezuela possesses the so-called “Bolivarian Shield”, always referred to by President Nicolás Maduro. This system represents a strong stumbling block when planning a frontal attack against the South American country.

The Venezuelan anti-aircraft shield is so strong that it is frequently used in the fight against Colombian drug trafficking. In recent years, it has shot down at least 200 aircraft with significant seizures of tons of drugs. From Colombia, ‘Cartels’ intend to use Venezuelan airspace to export drugs to Europe and the United States.

In 2019, the FANB detected – using the Space Defense Command’s radar system – 76 illegal aircraft incursions. All of them violated Venezuelan airspace and constituted – according to Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López – «a serious threat to national security».

Frequently, US aircraft violate Venezuelan airspace, alleging anti-drug or «surveillance» actions. In these cases, Venezuela has acted immediately against these illegal incursions, expelling them immediately, protected by international laws.

What are the attacks that Venezuela is expecting

The United States has suffered two defeats recently in Venezuela. The first, is the dismantling of the seditious plan that revolved around the figure of Juan Guaidó for two years. The second is the impossibility of organizing violent mass protests in the streets of Venezuela. Therefore, this 2021 could be marked by new military provocations against Venezuelan territory. Caracas also foresees possible terrorist and sabotage operations on its borders, especially the Colombian-Venezuelan one.

In this sense, President Maduro awaits attentive to defend the territory, the sovereignty and the independence of Venezuela, at all costs. As the president puts it, with «nerves of steel» so as not to bite the bait of the war that the Pentagon intends to provoke through its actions with the Southern Command.

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