Venezuelan military transport aircraft FAV-9508, a C-30H Hercules, returned from Orchila Island to the El Libertador air base at approximately 8:32 PM UTC on September 14th, concluding a two-hour visit, according to social media reports. This return flight occurred as the United States significantly bolstered its airpower in the Caribbean with the recent landing of Marine F-35B stealth fighter aircraft in Puerto Rico, following a large naval deployment to the region. Earlier in the reporting window, between 6:32 PM and 8:32 PM UTC on September 14th, the same aircraft, identified by hex code 0d806c, was tracked flying from the El Libertador air base to Orchila Island. Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López commented on the increased presence of U.S. military aircraft in the Caribbean, stating that they often violate operational norms by not notifying their flight plans, as reported on X. The activities involving FAV-9508 and the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean follow previous reports of the Dutch frigate HNLMS Van Amstel being dispatched from Willemstad, Curaçao, on the morning of September 14th. Unconfirmed social media reports from earlier in the day detailed extensive underground facilities at Maiquetia International Simón BolÃvar Airport, described as over 40 meters deep with multiple levels and capable of sustaining 150 people for four months, including a Situation Room with VTC capabilities and living quarters.
