BOGOTA (Reuters) – Another Venezuelan military airplane flew into Colombian airspace without permission on Sunday, the head of Colombia’s air force said, the second such incident over the weekend that threatens to further complicate relations between the two countries.
The Venezuelan aircraft crossed the border at eastern Vichada province and flew about 10 km (six miles) inside Colombian territory, air force General Carlos Bueno told reporters yesterday.
He said radar detected two planes, but only one crossed the border.
Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos has already ordered a formal protest and an explanation from Venezuela after two military airplanes were detected on Saturday in northern La Guajira province.
Those aircraft entered Colombia, flew about 2.9 km (1.8 miles) over the border and then circled above a military unit.
Both incidents come amid a diplomatic row between the conservative administration of Santos in Colombia and the socialist government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.