The tension in the Caribbean region continues to spiral with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reiterating that his country is steadfast in protecting the sovereignty, interests and freedom of the Venezuelan people.
A stance against the “regime change” attempt of his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, after deploying thousands of Navy personnel in the region aboard several US warships.
‘The biggest threat in the last 100 years’
Maduro strongly declared that the country is ready to raise its arms against the incoming warships of the US, adding that Washington had contributed to the instability of the region by aiming at least 1,200 missiles at Venezuela.
Such a move, he added, is the “biggest threat in the (South American) continent in the last 100 years” that would only lead to endangering millions of Venezuelan lives, should a war between Venezuela and the US break out.
Moreover, the leftist leader claimed that as many as eight million Venezuelans have already enlisted to join the Venezuelan militia to prove their patriotism and loyalty against the pressures of the US.
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No longer talking to one another
When asked whether Caracas and Washington have reached out to one another to diplomatically resolve their differences, Maduro claimed that communications had “broken down.”
Venezuela said that the presence of US warships in the Caribbean Sea was a form of intimidation, similar to how Trump had previously raised the bounty price against Maduro to US$50 million.
For Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, he said that the country will not be taunted by the blackmail and smear campaign of the US government against the oil-rich nation.
He added that some 15,000 troops were already deployed in the western region of Venezuela, where it shares a border with neighboring Colombia.
Colombia, too, had sent its own military men in the region to show solidarity with Venezuela amid the presence of US warships in the Caribbean Sea.
US sends warships to the Caribbean region to ‘combat drug trafficking’
The US government had deployed some of its massive warships in the Caribbean region, claiming that their goal was to fend off the further spread of drug trafficking in said territory, especially against the Tren de Aragua and the Cartel of Suns.
Right after his presidential inauguration, Trump immediately declared Tren de Aragua, originating from Venezuela, a terrorist organization that had slowly crept into US territories.
Months later, he linked Maduro to the development of the Cartel of the Suns.
Some of the warships of the US deployed in the Caribbean Sea are guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie; nuclear-powered submarine USS Newport News; and 3 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers USS Gravely.
As well as USS Jasin Dunham and USS Sampson; littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-St. Paul; amphibious assault ships USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, USS Fort Lauderdale; and at least 4,500 military personnel and 2,000 Marines.
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