As part of what were unprecedented flights over the Caribbean on October 15—an event that generated significant attention on social media—it has been reported that U.S. Marine Corps F-35B fighters escorted U.S. Air Force B-52H bombers during their mission. According to official sources, the operation was intended to demonstrate the capabilities of U.S. Southern Command to deter potential threats in the region, while also serving as a training opportunity for future global deployments.
It should be recalled that the bombers’ flight path was tracked in real time by open-source intelligence (OSINT) through publicly accessible radar applications, although this was not the case for the stealthy USMC F-35s, which have now been seen in the released images. During their journey, the aircraft flew over the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America), passed through the Yucatán Channel, and then entered airspace north of the Venezuelan coast, where they flew a holding pattern. Notably, this occurred near the islands of Gran Roque and La Orchila, where the regime maintains a military presence.
The matter is by no means minor, given the ongoing tensions between both countries following a series of U.S. airstrikes against vessels accused of belonging to drug trafficking networks—organizations that Washington has decided to classify as terrorist groups. The issue sparked major controversy not only in Caracas but also across the region and globally, with many questioning the legality of such missions under international law.
It is also worth noting that it was already publicly known that Washington had deployed its stealth F-35 fighters to Puerto Rico, giving the U.S. a launch point to facilitate air operations over the Caribbean and complement the naval assets recently stationed in the area. At that time, Caracas responded mainly by deploying its own F-16 fighters of the Venezuelan Air Force (AMB), as well as limited naval assets, alongside training exercises involving both active personnel and civilian militias.
Moreover, the Venezuelan regime had previously claimed that its radar systems had detected the presence of F-35Bs flying over the region, describing the activity as U.S. provocations against the country—a statement made by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López. Specifically, it was reported that at least five fighters had been operating within the Maiquetía Flight Information Region (FIR), and later, a Colombian airline also claimed to have observed the stealth aircraft in the area.
Image credits: @AFSOUTH on X
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