Venezuela Condemns U.S. Drug Trafficking Allegations Amid Military Maneuvers
Venezuelan officials have strongly rejected U.S. allegations linking Caracas to drug trafficking, characterizing these claims as a pretext for potential military aggression as Washington deploys thousands of personnel and advanced naval assets throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, reports 24brussels.
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López responded to the U.S. deployment of approximately 4,000 personnel, primarily Marines, who are engaged in counter-narcotics operations in regional waters. This operation reportedly includes a nuclear submarine, P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, numerous destroyers, and a missile-equipped warship, according to CNN.
In a recent Instagram video, Padrino López accused the United States of utilizing “false accusations” against Venezuela, claiming that such narrative serves to condition public opinion for possible military actions. “The problem is a narrative that is being imposed to attack Venezuela. In other words, building lies that gradually become accepted as truth,” he stated, highlighting that the U.S. employs a media network to disseminate misinformation and create “false positives.”
Padrino López further criticized the strategic focus of U.S. anti-drug operations, questioning why the military is not addressing drug trafficking in the Pacific, through which nearly 90 percent of narcotics destined for the U.S. transit. “Is the issue the Caribbean? Is it Venezuela? Are the cartels in Venezuela? Are coca crops in Venezuela?” he asked rhetorically.
Diosdado Cabello, Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, labeled the United States as “the only real threat to global stability” and dismissed any agreements that would compromise Venezuela’s sovereignty.
These remarks come in response to heightened regional tensions, especially after the Trump administration raised the reward for the capture of President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, accusing him of leading the so-called “Cartel of the Suns,” a claim vehemently denied by Caracas.
U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, addressing the situation from Cartagena, Colombia, issued a stark warning, asserting that Maduro would not remain in power beyond December. “We will not tolerate a narco-terrorist harming the United States. We will treat terrorists as the U.S. has treated them in the past. I do not see him in office past the end of this year,” Moreno declared.
The Venezuelan government contends that such allegations form part of a comprehensive strategy by Washington to destabilize the nation, overthrow the Maduro administration, and take control of its abundant resources. Padrino López emphasized that “Venezuela will continue to neutralize every terrorist and criminal attempt.”
This confrontation highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region, with Venezuela adamantly rejecting external pressures, while the United States continues to position military forces under the guise of counter-narcotics operations.
