Venezuela Situation: US. War on Narco-Terrorism in Venezuela.

[Liliea]

After Donald Trump's government decided to declare itself—without congressional approval—at war with drug cartels, labelling them as "non-state armed groups" that carry out armed attacks against America, the escalation and harassment of Venezuela was swift. President Trump has stated that his administration is evaluating the possibility of launching military operations on Venezuelan territory against drug cartels that, according to the White House, operate from there.


Poster published by the DEA offering a reward of $50 million for Nicolás Maduro.

On September 5, Trump assured that Washington was not considering overthrowing the government in Caracas. Just days earlier, on September 2, he reported that US forces had killed 11 members of a Venezuelan drug cartel during an operation in international waters. According to Trump, Venezuela is not doing enough to combat drug trafficking.
TASS

As has been the case with Trump so far, he may back down even though his strategy of harassment works to maintain tension in the region and not lose control. Meanwhile, Venezuela claims that the United States is using the fight against drug trafficking as a pretext, when its real objective is to put pressure on the Bolivarian country.

"Strikes will continue": The U.S. military attacks another ship near Venezuela, according to Hegseth​

The US Department of Defence reported that, on President Trump's orders, an attack was carried out against a vessel linked to organisations designated as terrorists in the area of responsibility of the Southern Command; according to the statement, four alleged drug traffickers were killed. This is the fourth vessel allegedly attacked.

(…)This was the fourth known attack by the US military on vessels in the Caribbean Sea since September 2. In total, the military has killed 21 people who it claims were trafficking drugs, as if they were enemy soldiers in a war zone and not suspects of a crime.
nytimes

"Our intelligence undoubtedly confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, that the individuals on board were narco-terrorists, and that they were operating on a known drug trafficking transit route," Hegseth wrote. "These attacks will continue until the attacks against the American people end!!!!"
"This morning, on the orders of President [Donald] Trump, I ordered a lethal kinetic strike against a vessel transporting drugs and linked to organisations recognised as terrorists," Pete Hegseth said on social media platform X.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1974150886084485503

According to the Administration, the action took place in international waters off the Venezuelan coast while the vessel was transporting "substantial quantities of narcotics" bound for the United States. US authorities say they will continue with similar attacks.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1974104710937444410

Earlier, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto strongly protested the intrusion of US combat aircraft into the republic's airspace, as recorded by Venezuela's integrated air defense system. He called these actions a provocation that threatens national sovereignty and violates international law.

The Venezuelan Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the illegal incursion of US military aircraft detected on 2 October some 75 km off the coast, within the Maiquetía FIR.
The Comprehensive Aerospace Defence Command (CODAI) identified the manoeuvre and described it as an action that "threatens national sovereignty and violates international law and the Chicago Convention".

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has voiced the opinion that the republic is facing the most serious threat of a US invasion in the last 100 years.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1973791660883759250

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Venezuela mourns military helicopter crash​

A Bolivarian Military Aviation aircraft crashed in the state of Aragua, in the north of the South American country, killing the two Army officers on board, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces reported.

The senior officers who lost their lives were Major Noglys Carolina García Rondón and Lieutenant Commander Carlos Alfonzo Castillo Sánchez, the authority said. The helicopter that crashed was an Enstrom 480.

"President Nicolás Maduro has ordered an investigation to determine the possible causes of the accident," he said.

Fanb confirmó dos muertos tras caída de helicóptero de la Aviación Militar Bolivariana

La Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana (Fanb) se declaró de luto tras el accidente aéreo ocurrido la mañana de este viernes, que cobró la vida […]

lapatilla.com

US hits drug trafficking vessel off Venezuela — Pentagon chief

According to Pete Hegseth, four men aboard the vessel, identified as narco-terrorists by the US intelligence, were killed in the strike

tass.com

Stephen Miller takes leading role in strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats

Exclusive: Miller’s homeland security council has played a key part in coordinating operations, sources say

www.theguardian.com