US ramps up pressure on Venezuela

The White House is intensifying its focus on Venezuela as U.S. President Donald Trump convened senior advisers for high-level discussions on December 1 regarding the administration’s campaign against the Maduro government, as reported by Reuters.

A senior U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the meeting brought together top national security figures but did not disclose the substance of their talks.

Heightened U.S. pressure on Venezuela alongside a significant military build-up that far exceeds the necessary force needed for the claimed counter-narcotics operations points toward a broader goal centred on regime change in Venezuela.

Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro has a $50 million bounty on his head and an armada surrounding the country, but he is yet to bow to U.S. pressure and has instead upped the ante.

On November 26 he urged his supporters to “defend every inch of this blessed land” from the “imperialist threat” that is America, whilst wearing camouflage fatigues and brandishing a sword. On November 12 Venezuela’s defence minister ordered a full-scale mobilisation of the country’s land, air, naval, and reserve forces.

On November 24, as reported by The New Republic, Republican Representative Maria Salazar, regarding potential US-led regime change in Venezuela, stated that “We’re gonna be doing a favour to us, to our children, to our economy, to our oil companies, and to the Venezuelans.”

The Trump administration has denied that Venezuela’s oil reserves, the largest in the world, are a reason behind its current pressure and military build-up, claiming that the military build-up known as Operation Southern Spear is solely aimed at the “narco-terrorists” known as the Cartel de los Soles, who they claim Maduro is the head of.

Trump declared on November 29 that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety,” a remark that prompted uncertainty and alarm within Caracas due to the lack of accompanying explanation.

Trump confirmed that he had spoken directly with Maduro on November 30 but declined to provide details on that conversation.

Since September, U.S. troops have conducted at least 21 strikes targeting alleged drug-running vessels in both the Caribbean and the Pacific, resulting in at least 83 deaths. The legality of the strikes has raised eyebrows and has been questioned by many politicians and lawmakers in the U.S. and abroad.

U.S. lawmakers, who have repeatedly attempted to curb President Donald Trump’s hostility against Venezuela, announced on December 2 that if the administration launches an assault within the country, they will file a new resolution to compel a congressional vote on the matter, reports Reuters.

The combination of increased deployments, firm rhetoric from Washington, and opaque high-level deliberations has fuelled uncertainty surrounding the next phase of the Trump administration’s Venezuela strategy.

Reuters, The New Republic, Maghrebi