Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
Besides Increasing Reward For Maduro To US$ 50 Million, US Mobilizes 4,500 Military, Reinforces Siege With Destroyers, Spy Planes And Amphibious Ships While Venezuelan Government Calls Millions Of Chavista Militias
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, ordered a new military offensive in the southern Caribbean, directing the USS Lake Erie destroyer, capable of carrying 122 missiles, and the nuclear-powered USS Newport News submarine to the vicinity of Venezuela. The movement comes amid an intensification of the campaign against the regime of Nicolás Maduro, accused by Washington of drug trafficking and alliances with transnational criminal groups.
The military operation also includes the return of three destroyers from the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), which had temporarily withdrawn due to Hurricane Erin. Now, with clear weather, they are returning to their route, accompanied by aircraft such as the Boeing E-3 Sentry and the Poseidon P-8 plane, which conduct surveillance and patrol missions around Aruba and the Venezuelan coastline.
According to sources consulted by the Reuters agency, the ships can be used for intelligence and deterrence operations as well as for tactical strikes if the situation worsens. The main targets would be semi-submersible vessels used by cartels to transport drugs to Mexico, with the final destination being the US.
-
Global summit with over 40 countries pressures Iran for a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and warns of direct impact on oil, food, and the global economy.
-
Russia has broken the U.S. maritime blockade to send oil to Cuba and is now loading a second ship while Trump says that “Cuba is next” in a possible military action against the island.
-
Spain challenges the USA and closes its airspace for operations against Iran, raising global tension and provoking the threat of a trade rupture.
-
While no other country manufactures tanks in Latin America, Argentina activates the TAM 2C-A2 and raises a curiosity about the technological lag in the region.
Venezuela Calls 4.5 Million Militiamen And Promises Total Defense Of Sovereignty
In direct response to US actions, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro gave a speech on national television on August 25, asserting that “nobody touches this land” and that the Venezuelan people will defend “their homeland, their peace, and their security.”
Maduro also challenged the United States to respond how they would act if American political figures called for foreign intervention against their own country. He used the provocation to justify the mobilization of the armed civilian population and Chavista militias as a national protection strategy.
Earlier this month, the Chavista leader had already declared that he would defend “the seas, skies, and lands” of Venezuela against “the bizarre and absurd threat of a declining empire”, in an indirect reference to Washington. His remarks were accompanied by the activation of millions of civilian militiamen, spread throughout the national territory.
Trump Doubles Reward And Intensifies Speech Against Drug Trafficking
The Trump administration doubled the US$ 15 million reward to US$ 50 million for information leading to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, increasing judicial and media pressure against the regime. US Attorney General Pam Bondi recently stated that US$ 700 million in assets linked to Chavismo have been seized, and that Maduro has led the Cartel de los Soles for over a decade.
According to Washington, Maduro systematically violates international narcotics laws, took power undemocratically and maintains links with groups such as Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel, both of which have international operations in organized crime.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt reiterated the warlike stance by stating that the United States will use “all force” against the Chavista regime, including military operations and intelligence actions to neutralize what they classify as narcoterrorist organizations in Latin America.
The movements were reported by Reuters and CNN Brasil, with details provided by officials under anonymity. The articulation of the US Armed Forces in the Caribbean already includes the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, USS Sampson, as well as the USS Fort Lauderdale and USS Iwo Jima, making up a strike force of approximately 4,500 military personnel, including sailors and marines.
While US authorities have not specified a mission for a direct attack on Venezuela, the pattern of military movement and the tone of the rhetoric indicate a strategic siege with possible diplomatic and military ramifications, raising the alert level in the region.
-
Uma pessoa reagiu a isso.