The US is “preparing options” for strikes against Venezuelan drug dealers inside the country, a report citing US officials said on Saturday. In recent times, the United States Navy has destroyed three boats after alleging that they belonged to the drug mafia (Cartel de Soles), killing at least 17 people.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has rejected any links to drug trafficking and insists that they were part of a conspiracy hatched by the US to overthrow his government.
The bombing, according to US sources, “could take place in a matter of weeks, though the measure has not yet been approved by US President Donald Trump.”
As per the officials, the moves being discussed in Washington mainly include drone strikes on drug labs as well as members and leaders of trafficking groups.
Also Read : Trump says Gaza war deal, hostage release could be near
The US is considering the escalations because some of the war hawks in the trump cabinet are not happy with the deployment of the US naval warships, which have failed to deter the Caribbean nations.
They are allegedly seeking to escalate the situation by trying to convince Trump to launch another, more direct action against the Maduro government.
Trump is “prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice,” a senior administration official said on Saturday.
After the same time, the US and Venezuela have been negotiating with each other through unspecified Middle Eastern intermediaries, where Maduro has offered some concessions to Trump to diffuse the tensions.
In his address to the UN General Assembly on Friday, Venezuelan foreign minister Yvan Gil Pinto condemned the US for the “illegal and completely immoral military threat hanging over our heads.”
"Venezuela will not yield to pressure or threats. We remain firm in defending our sovereignty and our right to live in peace, free from foreign interference,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, the tensions between the two countries have been escalating in recent times, after the United States deployed its 6 warships and a capable submarine near the Caribbean waters.
Maduro, in response, threatened to mobilise more than 2.5 million militia in case the US forces launched an attack on Caracas.
Follow us
