CARACAS.– Aircraft Cuban of Aviation are reaching Venezuela, specifically at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, for several days at unusual hours and its passengers, who enter without the mandatory entry check into the country, would be being transferred to popular sectors of Caracas and other states, according to a report by journalist Nitu Pé© rez Osuna
The arrival of these planes from Cuba, just a few months before the elections presidential elections, set for next July, cause concern in various sectors of Venezuela, whose regime increasingly strengthens its relations with that of Havana, while its spokesmen intensify threats against opponents hopeful of a peaceful transition scenario, after the elections.
This May 16, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel received a visit from the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Yván Gil, to whom he offered to maintain the “invariable support” for the Maduro regime and cooperation “for whatever it may be, while you need it,†according to information released from the Caribbean island.
Cuban militiamen in Venezuela, why
Although the arrival of planes from Cuba to Venezuela has been common, especially during the mandate of Hugo Chávez (1999-2013), the untimely arrival of three planes this Tuesday draws attention in Maiquetía at this time, according to journalistic reports. .
At the international airport, which receives and dispatches aircraft only from the Bolivian line in the early morning, three Cubana de Aviación flights arrived at 1:10 am, 3:20 am and 4:00 am to ramp 4, which is of restricted use. for the Executive and representatives of allied governments, and 140 passengers dressed in informal clothing got off each aircraft.
“Without going through customs, the passengers boarded vans or small buses and, based on conversations that were overheard there, they were going to be taken to neighborhoods on the outskirts of Caracas, some to Catia, others to Petare and others to Guarenas Guatire,” states the aforementioned newspaper report. The towns are located in the center and east of Caracas, considered strategic in the capital.
“The source attests to me that these three flights arrived because he was there, but other of his colleagues have told him that this has been happening for several days with Cubana de Aviación flights arriving at dawn. I asked him if they are doctors or athletes and he said that they look like militiamen,†indicates the experienced journalist Nitú Pà © rez Osuna in her report.
Other widespread reports indicate that other flights arrived at the airport last Thursday at 3:30 am and more are expected to arrive in the coming days, and their passengers would be distributed throughout the country, due to the presidential elections.
The arrival of Cubans, especially on medical missions, to Venezuela has been going on for more than two decades, and currently the number cannot be quantified due to numerous desertions. For its presence in the country, it resorted to the figure of exchange through health-for-oil agreements since 2000, when Venezuela was the main supplier of crude oil to Havana.
However, barrel shipments were affected by the Venezuelan crisis and the deterioration of the state-owned PDVSA, reaching an average of 50,000 barrels per day in 2023.
