Venezuela denounces that the US military deployment favors drug trafficking in the Pacific
Venezuela says that the US deployment in the Caribbean facilitates drug trafficking and seeks to control its natural resources under the pretext of anti-drugs
The Venezuelan government denounced this Tuesday that the recent military deployment of the United States in the Caribbean Sea does not effectively combat drug trafficking, but, on the contrary, "leaves the way open" to drug trafficking mafias that operate primarily through the Pacific Ocean.
Jorge Rodriguez, president of Parliament and head of the National Council for Sovereignty and Peace, stated that 85% of the drugs that reach the US transit through the Pacific, not the Caribbean. “The drug traffickers of Ecuador, starting with their president (Daniel Noboa), and the drug traffickers of Peru, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Mexico should be happy,” Rodriguez stated during a press conference, assuring that the US approach leaves key routes of real drug trafficking unprotected.
Venezuela: the real objective is oil
Rodriguez reiterated that the objective of the Donald Trump administration is not the fight against drugs, but rather “to besiege Venezuela” and facilitate a “regime change” that would allow the US to control strategic resources such as oil, gas, gold and other minerals in the South American country.
The leader The Chavista also called for the defense of national sovereignty and asserted that "Venezuela is today safer than the United States, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, and Panama."
US responds with new military operation
On the same day as the Venezuelan statements, President Donald Trump announced a new US military operation in Caribbean waters. A vessel allegedly linked to drug trafficking was attacked near the Venezuelan coast, leaving six people dead, whom Washington identified as "narco-terrorists."
According to the official statement, the ship was linked to drug trafficking networks and was traveling a route associated with international cartels. This action follows five other similar operations carried out since September, three of them near Venezuela and another near the Dominican Republic.
Diplomatic clash escalates
The US military deployment in the Caribbean has been justified by Washington as part of a strategy to curb drug trafficking from Venezuela. However, Caracas insists that it is a geopolitical maneuver to destabilize Nicolas Maduro's government and justify foreign intervention.