CARACAS/BOGOTÁ (dpa-AFX) -In view of the increasing military presence of the USA in the Caribbean, the government of Venezuela said it has called in almost 200,000 troops for exercises as part of an action plan by the armed forces. According to Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, soldiers from all branches of the armed forces as well as members of paramilitary militias are taking part in the two-day exercise.
The minister criticized the US presence in the Caribbean as a “vulgar operation against the sovereignty and peace” not only of Venezuela, but of the entire region. In this context he spoke of an “imperialist threat”. At the same time, the exercise is aimed against drug trafficking and “terrorist groups,” he said.
The maneuver is part of the so-called “Plan Independencia 200” (Plan Independence 200), which the authoritarian head of state Nicolás Maduro announced in September for national defense. On Tuesday, the parliament controlled by the governing parties also passed a law for the “integral protection of the nation”. According to state media, it provides for the participation of the population in protecting the country against threats.
USA sends largest aircraft carrier
The US military is currently increasing its military force in the waters off Latin America. The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the “USS Gerald R. Ford”, which was withdrawn from the Mediterranean some time ago by the Pentagon, has now reached the US Southern Command’s area of operations, the US Navy announced on Tuesday. The exact location was not disclosed. The area of operation extends across the Caribbean and also across waters bordering Central and South America.
The US aircraft carrier “USS Gerald R. Ford” is the largest warship on earth. It is 333 meters long and can accommodate up to 90 fighter planes and helicopters as well as several thousand soldiers. It is powered by a nuclear reactor and is named after the 38th President of the USA.
The USA justifies its military presence with the fight against transnational criminal organizations and the protection of the homeland from drugs. However, increasing tensions between the US and Venezuela have led to speculation about the actual reason for the aircraft carrier’s deployment to the region. There are increasing indications that US President Donald Trump wants to force a change of power in Venezuela.
US accuses Maduro of drug smuggling
The Trump administration accuses Venezuelan leader Maduro of being involved in drug smuggling to the United States. Not only does the Venezuelan government view the gathering of additional military units in the Caribbean as a threatening gesture, but so do neighboring South American countries such as Colombia and Brazil.
In recent weeks, US forces have repeatedly attacked speedboats belonging to suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific on Trump’s orders. Dozens of people have already been killed. The approach causes a lot of criticism. From the perspective of UN human rights experts, the USA is violating international law.
Colombia suspends cooperation with the USA
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has now suspended the exchange of intelligence information with the USA. This affects the armed forces’ secret service, and other contacts with US security authorities are also to be suspended, as Petro explained on the X platform on Tuesday (local time). The measure applies “as long as missile attacks on boats in the Caribbean continue.” The joint fight against drugs must “be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people.” Petro said a Colombian fisherman was also killed in the US strikes.
CNN: Great Britain also stops sharing information
According to a report by CNN, Great Britain has already stopped exchanging certain intelligence information with the USA because of the controversial US actions. This involves information about suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean. London did not want to become an accomplice to US attacks, which it considered illegal, the broadcaster reported. The “New York Times” also reported on this, citing a high-ranking Western government official./ppz/DP/jha