Hugo Chavez says US military plane entered Venezuelan airspace from Curacao

Chavez says US plane entered Venezuelan airspace

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says a U.S. military plane entered Venezuelan airspace and was met by his military’s F-16s, which escorted it out.

Chavez is calling it a provocation by the U.S. government, saying the U.S. P-3 plane had taken off from the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao and twice entered Venezuelan airspace on Friday.

Chavez also warned, without giving details, that his government could reconsider its involvement in Curacao’s Venezuela-operated Isla refinery, which processes Venezuelan crude.

Chavez has protested against the Dutch islands for allowing U.S. military counter-drug flights from their airstrips.

There was no immediate reaction from U.S. or Dutch officials to Chavez’s latest accusations.

(This version CORRECTS that Isla refinery is operated, not owned, by Venezuela’s state oil company)