The Ministry of Foreign Relations of Cuba warned Thursday that the US military escalation in the Caribbean constitutes the prelude to possible direct aggression against Venezuelawhich would put regional peace and stability at risk.
In a official statementHavana recalled that on September 18 the Cuban government warned about the growing hostility of Washington.
“The extraordinary accumulation of military media in the southern Caribbean, the illegal incursions of American combat aircraft, the destruction of civil vessels and the murder of their crew … could constitute the pretext to execute a military action against Venezuela,” said the Foreign Ministry.
The statement occurs after the Trump administration notified that United States is in a “Non -international armed conflict” against drug cartels in the regionqualifying its members as “illegal combatants.”
Strong tension between Venezuela and the US
With that formula, The White House tries to cover military operations that have already left at least 17 dead and that, according to local sources, they involved private vessels that departed from Venezuelan ports.
According to military reports, Washington has deployed a wide device in the Caribbean: at least eight warships, a quick attack submarine, more than 4500 soldiers and furtive fighters F-35b parked in Puerto Rico.
The Venezuelan government considers those maneuvers a provocation.
The Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino, denounced that the radars of the aerial system detected flights of US military aircraft in the vicinity of their territory and He accused Washington of “harassment” and “direct threats.”
In response, Caracas has reinforced his defense with military exercises, deployment of ships and drills to protect strategic infrastructure.
President Nicolás Maduro also announced a Decree of external shock state, which would grant exceptional powers in case of conflict.
Cuba reiterated in his statement the “firm and unwavering support for the Bolivarian and Chavista government of Venezuela” and called to stop the military aggression “to preserve peace in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
