Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Venezuela plans to hold military drills under the name "Caribe Soberano 200" in response to recent hostile U.S. activity in the region, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said.
Padrino announced Wednesday during a televised meeting with the high command of the Venezuelan armed forces that about 22 aircraft and some 30 vessels -- including 12 navy ships -- will deploy for three days to La Orchila Island, about 100 miles off the coast of Caracas.
The 19-square-mile island is home to a military camp and the C/N Antonio Díaz Naval Air Base, accessible only to the president, his relatives and associates, military personnel and senior government officials. Civilian aircraft are prohibited from flying over Orchila.
"Our commander in chief has ordered a campaign maneuver. We will conduct an exercise involving a task force. There will be deployments of air defense assets with armed drones, surveillance drones, underwater drones and aerial drones. We will also conduct electronic warfare actions," Padrino said.
According to Padrino, the Navy's deployment will include "coastal gunfire, amphibious landings with our amphibious combat vehicles and seizure of a beachhead, and coastal artillery fire."
