US Warships Deployed to Venezuelan Coast; White House Issues Statement Against Maduro
English-language reporting by webangah news Agency, citing Mehr News Agency, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and AFP sources, states that three US warships ordered by President Donald Trump have been dispatched near Venezuelan waters. They are expected to be stationed in the area by the end of this weekend as part of Washington’s campaign against drug trafficking from Latin America.
The deployment follows escalating pressure from the Trump management on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Recently, washington increased the reward for Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, accusing him of collaborating with cocaine trafficking networks smuggling drugs into the United States.
Sources report that an amphibious naval group composed of three Aegis-class missile destroyers is en route to Venezuela’s coast and is expected to arrive by next Sunday.
Two anonymous officials told Reuters that these destroyers carry approximately 4,500 personnel, including about 2,200 US marines.
On Monday, Maduro announced plans to deploy millions of paramilitaries throughout Venezuela in response to perceived “threats” from the United States.
The US accuses maduro of leading the cocaine trafficking institution known as Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns). The US Treasury Department designated this cartel as a terrorist organization last month.
White House spokesperson Caroline Lewitt said Tuesday that “President Trump has made it crystal clear he is prepared to use all elements of American power to stop the flood of drugs into our country and hold all responsible accountable.”
she further asserted: “The current administration does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president; instead, he is a fugitive leader indicted in the United States on drug trafficking charges.”
Al Jazeera correspondent Lucia Newman reported from Latin America that Maduro has ordered all drones placed on high alert for 30 days-a sign he expects air strikes rather than naval attacks.
Newman added that “Trump’s commitment to sending US warships into the Caribbean and other parts of Latin America aimed at stopping drug flow appears more than just a threat toward Venezuela-it could apply broadly across manny countries in the region.”
