The Unites States of America and Venezuelan forces are heading for an intense confrontation in the Caribbean after Caracas' air forces flew near the US warships on Friday.
The tensions between the two nations have escalated recently as the United States declared war against the drug cartels by deploying forces close to the Venezuelan waters. On Friday, two F-16 jets belonging to the Venezuelan air force flew over the USS Jason Dunham on Thursday in a provocative move that the Department of Defence said appeared to be aimed at interfering with US counter-narcotics operations.
The warship has been deployed to waters near the country’s coast as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to prevent drug cartels from sending drugs to the United States. The US State Department, in a statement, said, "This highly provocative move was designed to interfere with our counter-narco terror operations."
"The cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not to pursue any further effort to obstruct, deter or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terror operations carried out by the US military."
Trump's order is aimed at toppling the Nicolás Maduro government, which Washington considers illegitimate, the same excuse they have used to topple elected governments in over 57 countries since the Cold War era.
Also Read: Venezuela deploys 15,000 troops to Colombian border
The US has long accused Caracas of leading the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), an alleged network of high-level drug trafficking and organised crime within the Venezuelan government and military. On July 25, the US Treasury designated the group as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” organisation.
On Aug. 8, Washington doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest or conviction from $25 million to $50 million. Maduro responded on August 18, saying, “We defend our seas, our skies, and our land. No empire can touch Venezuela’s sacred territory or South America’s sacred lands.”
It will be interesting to see how the developments in this particular region between the two sworn enemies develop as the United States and Venezuela continue to mobilise their forces against each other.
Also Read: US warships head to Venezuela amid escalating tensions
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