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Venezuela has purchased military aircraft, including the Su-30, from Russia. U.S. officials have previously accused Moscow of propping up Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro amid the ongoing economic and humanitarian crisis there.

SOUTHCOM said the action of the Venezuelan fighter on Friday \"demonstrates Russia's irresponsible military support to Maduro's illegitimate regime and underscores Maduro's recklessness and irresponsible behavior, which undermines international rule of law and efforts to counter illicit trafficking.\"

1 of 2 JUST RELEASED #Venezuela SU-30 Flanker “aggressively shadowed” a U.S. EP-3 aircraft at an unsafe distance July 19, jeopardizing the crew & aircraft. The EP-3 was performing a multi-nationally recognized & approved mission in international airspace over #CaribbeanSea. pic.twitter.com/edjmPqXbmP

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) July 21, 2019

2 of 2: This action demonstrates #Russia’s irresponsible military support to Maduro's illegitimate regime & underscores Maduro’s recklessness & irresponsible behavior, which undermines int’l rule of law & efforts to counter illicit trafficking. Pics & vids https://t.co/848FdmAeaE pic.twitter.com/1W9syCd1xs

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) July 21, 2019

These types of interactions between U.S. and Venezuelan aircraft are far less common than those between U.S. and Russian aircraft. While most intercepts are safe and professional interactions, the U.S. military will highlight those it deems unsafe or unprofessional.

Last month, a U.S. P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft experienced an \"unsafe\" and \"irresponsible\" intercept by a Russian fighter jet over international waters, the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet said.

\"PHOTO:
Michael Wimbish/U.S. Southern Command
PHOTO: Image of a Venezuela SU-30 Flanker as it aggressively shadowed a U.S. EP-3 Aries II at an unsafe distance in international airspace over the Caribbean Sea on July 19, 2019, jeopardizing the crew and aircraft.
>

The P-8A was intercepted by a Russian SU-35 \"three times over the course of 175 minutes\" over the Mediterranean Sea, the Sixth Fleet said. While \"the first and third interactions were deemed safe,\" the second \"was determined to be unsafe due to the SU-35 conducting a high-speed pass directly in front of the mission aircraft, which put our pilots and crew at risk.\"

ABC's Esther Castillejo contributed to this report.

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