Trump Threatens To Shoot Falling Venezuelan Jet, Maduro Will Fight

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro/PHOTO via Instagram @nicolasmaduro

JAKARTA - Venezuelan PresidentNicolasMaduro emphasized that his country is ready to enter an "armed struggle" if attacked by the United States.

He said while Venezuela is currently still in the "unarmed fighting phase," any attack would trigger resistance from "all people fighting aggression, both local, regional, and national."

As reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Saturday, September 6, Maduro's statement came after Trump said Venezuelan fighter jets would be "shot down" if they approached US warships.

Previously, two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew aboard US ships deployed to the region to fight criminal gangs and "drug terrorism".

Trump assesses Venezuela's actions are "dangerous" and the US Department of Defense called the move "very provocative."

Maduro also asked Trump to "stop its plans to forcefully change regimes in Venezuela, all Latin America, and the Caribbean."

"Respect our sovereignty, right to peace, and the independence of our country," Maduro said, stressing that Venezuela is always willing to have a dialogue with the US.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said the deployment of US aircraft, including 10 F-35 fighter jets to air bases in Puerto Rico, poses a threat to the Maduro government.

Gil accused US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio of confirming the deployment "under the pretext of pursuing drug smugglers," Gil called "the biggest lie."