For many Canadians Venezuela may seem a world away, made noticeable perhaps in the past by socialist leader Hugo Chavez or recently by headlines of hyperinflation, crime and a lack of basic goods. As a dual citizen born in Venezuela to a Canadian mother, I grew up knowing both countries well and I know how similar they really are to us.

Until recently Venezuela was a magnet for immigrants from Europe, to China to even my Canadian Grandfather who went there after he returned from the Second World War. It is a country of immense natural beauty and blessed with minerals and the world’s largest oil reserves. However, here is where the similarities end. The current Venezuelan government is holding its people hostage. It has taken over all institutionsThe Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it had launched a massive drone military drill involving tens of unmanned aerial vehicles Thursday.

The drill involved a fleet of 50 drones modeled after the US' RQ-170 Sentinel, one of which was captured by Iran in 2011, as well as a number of other UAVs, which were launched from bases as far as 1,000 kilometers away from the target located at Bani Farur island in the Persian Gulf. It was the largest Iranian military exercise of this kind to date, the IRGC said in a statement.

All drones involved in the drill successfully bombed the designated target at the same time, Mehr News reports.