Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, warns that the Trump administration may end up destabilising the entire region amid rising tensions.
Therefore, the 4-month-long US military campaign against Venezuela is currently the centre of attention. The White House has meanwhile been quietly striking security agreements with other countries. The ultimate goal is to deploy US troops across Latin America & the Caribbean.
Donald Trump announced a blockade on oil tankers, which are under sanctions. Trump also ordered the seizure of vessels. This move is amidst airstrikes that have killed more than 100 people in the Caribbean and the Pacific. In the past week alone, the US secured military deals with Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.
Agreements ranged from airport access, as already done with Trinidad & Tobago, to the temporary deployment of US troops. This is for joint operations against narcoterrorists’ in Paraguay. These agreements are being signed under the banner of the so-called ‘war on drugs’. This same rationale was used by Washington to justify its previous offensive against Venezuela. White House officials and Trump himself have said that the goals also include seizing Venezuela’s vast energy reserves. The aim is, besides bringing down the dictator, Nicolas Maduro.
Washington has long sustained similar agreements with many in the region. Analysts see the scale and timing of the new deals as a further escalation of regional tensions. Besides, this would be an unprecedented US invasion of the South American country.
The director of military analysis at the Defence Priorities think tank, Jennifer Kavanagh, disclosed that the US may launch a larger offensive that includes airstrikes on Venezuela or other referred countries, such as Colombia or Cuba. It would, however, need operating locations around the region. Developing a network of locations would be important for the sustainability of any such type of operation. As such, it’s not certain if such activities are directly targeting Venezuela, said Kavanagh. She added that they are likely related.
