The arrival of the region coincided with a new military mobilization in Venezuela to respond to ‘imperial threats’ and with Russia’s condemnation of the bombing of vessels
The largest aircraft carrier in the world was incorporated this Tuesday (11) into the operation against drug trafficking from Latin America, which insists its objective is to overthrow the president. The arrival of the USS Gerald Ford in the region coincided with a new military mobilization in Venezuela to respond to “imperial threats” and with Russia’s condemnation of the bombings of vessels allegedly transporting drugs. The last attack was on Sunday in the Pacific. The United States Secretary of Defense, , reported the deaths of six people on board two vessels. There are already 20 vessels bombed with at least 76 deaths.
Since September, the United States has sent warships, fighter planes and thousands of soldiers to the Caribbean for these operations against drug trafficking, allegedly coming from Venezuela and Colombia. The United States Naval Forces Southern Command said in a statement that the USS Gerald Ford, ordered to deploy nearly three weeks ago, had entered its zone of responsibility, which covers Latin America and the Caribbean.
“It will strengthen the United States’ ability to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the security and prosperity of the American homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” said Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell. The United States has not yet presented evidence that the vessels were used for drug trafficking or posed a threat to the country.
The CNN channel reported that the United Kingdom will not share intelligence information with the United States about vessels suspected of drug trafficking so as not to become an accomplice in these bombings which, according to the sources consulted, are illegal. It is a crucial rupture between two important allies. Russia – a rival of the West and a key ally of Maduro – described the bombings as “unacceptable”.
“This is how, in general, lawless countries act, those that consider themselves above the law,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on television, classifying the fight against drugs as a “pretext” that the United States claims to justify these attacks.
“Massive mobilization”
Venezuela activated new military exercises across the country in the early hours of Tuesday to respond to what it considers “imperial threats” from the United States. The Ministry of Defense reported on the “massive mobilization of land, air, naval, river and missile assets”. State television VTV showed the mobilization of soldiers armed with rifles.
These announcements are frequent and widely publicized by the government, although they do not necessarily translate into visible operations on the ground. Maduro warned on Monday that his structure has “strength and power” to respond to the United States. He called for enlistment in the Bolivarian Militia, a body of the Armed Forces made up of civilians and with a very high ideological burden.
“If imperialism attempted a coup and caused damage, from the moment the order for operations was decreed, we would have mobilization and combat on the part of the entire people of Venezuela,” he said. The president’s administration accuses Maduro of leading a drug trafficking cartel and has even authorized CIA operations in Venezuela.
*With information from AFP
