The White House avoided confirming on Thursday (28) if the United States intends to launch a military operation against Venezuela. In an interview with journalists, spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said, however, that Donald Trump’s government “is prepared to use all the elements of the American force” to combat drug trafficking.
In recent days, Washington has moved ships, planes and military to the southern Caribbean, near the Venezuelan coast. Asked if the military apparatus could target Venezuela structures, Leavitt said he would not comment on “specific actions,” but said that Nicolás Maduro is not recognized as legitimate president. “He is a fugitive and head of a narcoterrorist cartel,” said the spokesman.
Military movement occurs amid increased American pressure against Caracas. In early August, the US doubled to $ 50 million the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, accused of leading the so -called Los Soles cartel, recently classified as an international terrorist organization by Washington.
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In response, to defend the Venezuelan territory. “Rifles and missiles to the peasant strength, to defend the sovereignty and peace of Venezuela,” he said. The government also sent 15,000 military personnel to the Colombian border after Bogota accuses the US of using drug trafficking as “excuse for military invasion.”
While Caracas took the case to the UN and requested monitoring the “climbing hostile actions” from the US, countries such as Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago declared support for Washington’s decision to classify the Los Soles cartel as a terrorist group.
