US President Donald Trump
“The sea is very well controlled. I don’t want to say anything more, but we are now considering land attacks”, warned Donald Trump.
The President Donald Trump, stated this Wednesday that he considers attacks ground forces of US forces in territory Venezuelan, contra drug traffickers.
One day after announcing the fifth attack by US forces against a vessel suspected of transporting drugs in international waters near Venezuela, Trump stated in the Oval Office of the White House that in that area “the sea is very well controlled” and that attacks on land are “certainly” being evaluated.
“I don’t want to say anything more, but we are now consider ground attacks“, stated the North American President in response to a journalist’s question about the extent of military operations, which he claims are aimed at drug trafficking cartels.
Faced with news that he had authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuela against the government, including “neutralizing” President Nicolás MaduroTrump did not deny it.
“That’s a ridiculous question to ask me. It’s not exactly a ridiculous question, but wouldn’t it be ridiculous of me to answer it?”
The attacks were launched after an increase in the presence of US maritime forces in the Caribbean, unprecedented in recent years, including nuclear submarines, missile launchers and state-of-the-art combat aircraft.
Since the beginning of September, these attacks in waters close to Venezuela have caused at least 27 dead.
Trump justified the military action by saying that the US Coast Guard interdictions “never worked” and that each of the vessels targeted carries enough drugs to cause thousands of ‘overdose’ deaths.
“It’s difficult, but three people are lost (supposed drug traffickers) and 25 thousand are saved“, declared Trump.
“I think Venezuela is feeling the pressure, but I think many other countries are too,” he said.
Bombers
According to the Venezuelan press, two bombers Strategic planes from the North American Air Force were detected this Wednesday flying over the Flight Information Region (FIR) of Maiquetía, close to two Venezuelan islands.
Citing civil air monitoring reports and independent observers, the web portal Efecto Cocuyo (EC) explains that the B-52H Stratofortress bombers passed from the islands of La Orcila and Gran Roque, where Venezuela has military installations.
“The aircraft, which remained visible on public tracking platforms during part of the route, circled over the Caribbean before momentarily disappearing from civilian radars, then reappearing heading south,” says the EC.
The Trump administration claims to be treating alleged drug traffickers as illegal combatants who must be confronted with military force.
Trump identified the targets of the US attacks as members of the Tren de Aragua cartel, a Venezuelan criminal group established in several countries and classified by Washington as a terrorist organization.
Maduro denies
Washington accuses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, of lead a network of drug trafficking and recently increased the reward for his capture to 50 million dollars.
Maduro denied any connection with drug trafficking.
In Congress, Democrats claim that the attacks violate American law and international law, and some Republican congressmen have sought more information from the White House about the attack. legal justification and details of the attacks.
Last week, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino told military leaders that the US government wants “force a regime change” in the South American country.
The Venezuelan National Assembly (AN, parliament) approved on Friday the Bill on Commands for the Integral Defense of Venezuela, which aims to “integrate” military, police power and society in the face of “threats” from the United States.
Maduro continued a program of military maneuvers across the country, highlighting the sending of forces to Petaré and Catia, the two largest working-class neighborhoods in Caracas.
“Let’s activate all military force of comprehensive defense, popular defense and police defense”, announced Maduro in an audio message on Telegram.
He also promised operations for Thursday in the states of Táchira, Apure and Amazonas, on the porous border with Colombia, where some of the Colombian cocaine transits.
