“I don’t rule it out”. This is how cold and laconic the President of the United States Donald Trump expressed himself about the possibility of an armed conflict with Venezuela. During an interview with NBC News Known this Friday, the Republican billionaire once again pushed the limit of what was imaginable regarding the evolution of the bilateral crisis. He did so a few days after announcing the “total blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers leaving and entering that South American country. “He knows exactly what I want. He knows it better than anyone.”Trump said about his conversation with Nicolás Maduro and the messages that Washington sent to Caracas: he must leave power. As part of that policy, he predicted more seizures of oil tankers. “If they are foolish enough to continue sailing, they will be sailing back to one of our ports.”
The magnate’s words to NBC News are in turn preceded by the latest attack in which five alleged “narcoterrorists” who were sailing in Pacific waters died, bringing the number of fatalities to at least 104 since a new phase of Washington’s anti-narcotics policy began in September. So far, the White House has not presented conclusive public evidence that link the attacked vessels to drug smuggling. UN agencies, international law experts and non-governmental organizations defending human rights questioned the legality of the attacks.
Throughout these months of unprecedented regional tension, Trump authorized the CIA to carry out covert actions in Venezuelaeven lethal in nature, and also included the option of ground attacks. On Thursday night it was reported that the UN Security Council will meet next Tuesday the 23rd to address the Venezuelan situation. Caracas had requested that the “total blockade” announced by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, against sanctioned oil tankers leaving and entering that South American country be treated as a matter of urgency.
Maduro’s reaction
In substantiating its request, the Venezuelan mission to the United Nations maintained that the measure announced by the Republican billionaire is an “open and criminal aggression of American imperialism” that has the “colonial intention of appropriating the oil and resources that belong to the people.” Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto said that the meeting in the Security Council should contribute to “reestablishing international law and making the Charter of the United Nations prevail.”
“Piracy is a serious crime at sea and a serious crime in light of public international law,” he said. Nicolas Maduro this very Thursday night. At the same time, I send an internal message to the sectors of society that look with apprehension or hidden sympathy towards Washington at the events that could trigger major problems. “Hesitating to defend our Venezuelan lands is treason; hesitating to defend our wealth and minerals is treason; hesitating to defend our sovereignty and our right to peace is treason.”
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