Chavez, a leader of a failed coup who was denied a US visa before he was elected by a sweeping majority in December, has hampered US interdiction efforts at a critical time. We don't expect a change in Venezuela's position. But we give them the facts. Since May 28, Chavez's government denied all nine requests by the United States to chase likely drug flights in hot pursuit. Chavez's government disagrees.
Venezuelan officials say they are more than capable of guarding the nation's airspace.
We have plenty of F-16s capable of taking a handoff from US planes. But US officials cast doubt on Venezuela's ability to monitor effectively and pursue traffickers sneaking through its airspace. Since Chavez's reversal of Venezuela's policy in May, his air force has only intercepted one of at least 11 suspect planes, Hittle said. The denial of overflights is a significant negative development. The anger has reached Congress, where officials have warned that if Chavez's position does not change, the United States may respond by refusing to certify that Venezuela is collaborating fully in the drug war.