A Russian cargo plane, sanctioned by the US for carrying weapons and mercenaries, landed today in Managua, Nicaragua, after stops in Havana and Caracas.
According to El Pitazo, an independent Venezuela news site, the plane, which can carry up to 50 tons, flew part of its route with its transponder off, to avoid being identified.
The flight comes amid a major U.S. naval and air build-up off Venezuela.
This includes the USS Gerald Ford and over-flights by strategic bombers near Venezuelan airspace, in what analysts say is pressure on the Maduro Government for a negotiated solution.
The aircraft was sanctioned by the US in January 2023 for transporting weapons, missiles and helicopter parts, allegedly to support military operations in Venezuela and Africa.
