Caribbean conflict instigated by Trump's calls for military action
In recent days, tensions between the United States and Venezuela have escalated, with both nations taking bold actions in the Caribbean.
According to the UNODC, Venezuela plays only a minor role as a transit country for drug cartels, but this has not deterred the US from taking military action. On Monday, the US military carried out a strike in the Caribbean against drug cartels and drug terrorists, claiming to have sunk a boat and killed eleven people. However, there is no known information about warnings or attempts to stop the boats at sea in either case.
The Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, has strongly condemned these actions. Maduro accuses the US of trying to force a regime change and has mobilized volunteers from the Bolivarian Militia and declared a partial mobilization of his own military. Maduro also stated that he would take up armed combat in the event of an invasion.
The US government, including President Trump and officials from the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard, have authorized military actions against suspected drug boats in the Caribbean region. In August, Trump signed a secret decree that allows the use of military means against drug cartels without congressional approval. The US has deployed warships with guided missiles, over 7,000 soldiers, surveillance aircraft, and a nuclear-powered submarine to the southeastern Caribbean.
The US government has also increased the bounty for the capture of Maduro from $25 to $50 million at the beginning of August. The US has stationed ten F35 combat jets in Puerto Rico, and recently published a video of the Monday attack, but no evidence was provided that it was indeed a drug transport.
Communication channels between Caracas and Washington appear to have been severed, with the Venezuelan government claiming that the US military held a fishing boat in Venezuelan waters for eight hours two days prior. The US government has not confirmed this claim.
The Venezuelan government has called on the US to cease actions that threaten security and peace in the Caribbean. International legal experts speak of extrajudicial executions in both cases due to the lack of evidence and the fact that the individuals were civilians.
As the situation continues to escalate, both nations remain locked in a standoff, with no clear resolution in sight. The future of the Caribbean region remains uncertain, as the US and Venezuela clash over drug cartels and territorial disputes.
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