Aerial view of USS New Orleans leading the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta in formation, during a patrol in international waters in the East China Sea, May 24, 2020. Photo: US Navy/File photo.
The US empire has not ruled out the possibility of using military force against Venezuela, according to statements made by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
During a press conference this Thursday, August 28, Leavitt answered a question about whether President Donald Trump was considering launching military strikes against the Venezuelan territory, stating that the president “is willing to use all” of his country’s resources to “stop the flow of drugs.”
“I won’t pre-empt the president on any military action or related issues,” she added. “But what I will tell you is that many nations in the Caribbean and the region have applauded this administration’s counter-drug operations and efforts.”
Leavitt further stated that the president of the US empire “is prepared to use every element of [US imperial] power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice.”
“It is the highest responsibility of this president and this administration,” she insisted, “to prevent the illicit flow of drugs into our country and protect citizens from these deadly poisons.”
It is worth noting that Leavitt opted to ignore the absence of evidence for her claims and the lengthy involvement of the US empire in trafficking drugs through Latin America in utilizing it as a pretext for colonial interference and warmongering.
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Rising tensions
In the last month, already strained relations between the US empire and Venezuela deteriorated further after the attorney general of the US entity, Pam Bondi, announced an increase from US$25 million to US$50 million in the bounty offered for information leading to the “capture” of President Maduro, whom Washington accuses without evidence of leading several drug cartels.
The situation escalated further after the confirmation of the deployment of US colonial military forces to the southern Caribbean Sea to supposedly combat international drug trafficking, without providing precise details about the scope, duration, or locations of operations.
This raised alarm bells and prompted statements from several leaders, both in the region and beyond, who interpreted the stated objective as a pretext to violate Venezuelan or third-party sovereignty and undermine regional peace.
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino noted that fake news is being spread portraying his country as a narco-state, which is inconsistent with reality and is a weapon used “to force an internal breakdown.”
Caracas’ reaction
In a recent speech, President Maduro announced a “special plan” to mobilize five million militia members “throughout the national territory,” in response to threats from the US empire. These operations took place last weekend, and the president announced this Monday that two new training sessions will be held to defend the country’s sovereignty in the face of the US empire’s military deployment in the southern Caribbean.
Meanwhile, countries such as México, Colombia, Honduras, Bolivia, Cuba, Russia, China, Belarus, and Iran have all condemned the possibility of Washington opening a war front in South America under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking. President Maduro has also publicly expressed his gratitude for the displays of solidarity his country has received from other governments in response to US imperialist threats.
(RT) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/AU
