The United States and Trinidad and Tobago announced joint military exercises off the coast of Venezuela, shortly after Maduro called for “No crazy war, please!” before the North American deployment in the region. Petro, for his part, said that the attacks ordered by Trump against ships allegedly loaded with drugs in the Pacific and the Caribbean are “extrajudicial executions.”
In August, the United States mobilized destroyers, a submarine and ships with special forces in international waters of the Caribbean, with the supposed purpose of combating drug trafficking.
“No crazy war!, No to the crazy war, No crazy war!”, “Venezuela wants peace,” said Maduro this Thursday, October 23.
The US military mobilization has so far left at least 37 dead in the bombings of suspected drug boats in international waters of the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Data from air traffic tracking website Flightradar24 on Thursday showed a B-1B bomber approaching the Venezuelan coast, before turning north.
In statements to the press, Trump denied sending these aircraft to Venezuela, although he did not hide his discontent with the country’s authorities, whom he accuses of links to drug trafficking.
“They have emptied their prisons in our country,” he said.
“We are not necessarily going to ask for a declaration of war” from Congress, to whom this competence constitutionally corresponds.
“We are simply going to kill people who come to our country,” Trump said.
*Also read: US orders deployment of aircraft carriers to the Caribbean to combat drug cartels
The CIA “will fail”
The USS Gravely warship “will carry out joint training with the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force,” the island country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ship will depart on October 30.
“The presence of US military forces in Trinidad and Tobago highlights the United States’ commitment to regional security and cooperation in the Caribbean,” the statement added.
Venezuela has denounced the new Trinidadian government for serving Washington’s interests. Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar has expressed support for Trump and his operations in the Caribbean.
Two Trinidadians were allegedly killed in the US bombings, although the authorities have not yet confirmed it. Nor has he denied the complaints of family members.
Trump accuses Maduro of leading an alleged drug trafficking gang, which the president denies.
Last week, the president authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuela.
Experts have questioned the legality of these attacks against suspects who have not been intercepted or interrogated.
Petro denounces “extrajudicial executions”
Both Venezuela and Colombia, also confronted by Washington over this issue, have called the attacks “extrajudicial executions.”
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, made a statement in this regard this Thursday. “In this type of maneuvers, which we believe breaks international law, the United States (…) is committing extrajudicial executions,” said President Petro, who asks that the alleged drug traffickers be brought to justice and not murdered.
The leftist president intensified his criticism against the unprecedented military deployment that Washington launched in August in international waters with a fleet of destroyers, a submarine and ships with special forces that attacked at least nine vessels, leaving 37 dead.
“There is a disproportionate use of force that is punished by international humanitarian law,” the president insisted.
Trump and Petro entered into a war of words that went up and down in tone in the midst of the worst crisis between the two countries that for decades had one of the closest relations in the region.
During a press conference in Bogotá with international journalists, the president complained about the accusations of his American counterpart who called him a “drug trafficker leader” and a “thug.”
“Mr. Trump has slandered me and insulted Colombia,” he said.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday: “I don’t think we’re seeing a de-escalation from Colombia’s deranged leader at this point.”
“Drug trafficking workers”
The Colombian Foreign Ministry reported a new meeting between senior Colombian officials with John McNamara, the top US diplomat in Bogotá, in which they had a “frank dialogue.” He also ended the call for consultations from his ambassador in Washington.
The United States has reported that it has killed at least 37 suspected drug traffickers in nine attacks on boats. On Wednesday it announced the first two attacks in the Pacific, and at least one of them occurred “near” Colombian waters, according to a military source.
Bogotá denounces that the United States has violated waters of national territories.
Petro changed his version on Thursday about the death of a fisherman in one of the attacks. According to the president, they are “drug trafficking workers” who succumb to the cartels due to lack of money.
*Journalism in Venezuela is carried out in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments in place to punish the word, especially the laws “against hate”, “against fascism” and “against the blockade.” This content was written taking into consideration the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
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