The Latin American Report # 576

The White House is upping the ante in its approach against Venezuela, particularly concerning its controversial accusation that operations of the so-called "Cartel of the Suns" are coordinated from the top Bolivarian command, allegedly involved in drug trafficking. After increasing the reward for Nicolás Maduro and other heavyweights like Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello in recent days, reports in the last hours indicate the deployment of three Aegis guided-missile destroyers in waters near Venezuela, with the stated goal of combating the threat posed by organized crime in Latin America.

According to a Pentagon spokesman, the USS Gravely, the USS Jason Dunham, and the USS Sampson will be patrolling the southern Caribbean region for several months, with 4,000 sailors and Marines enlisted to participate in this effort. Caracas, for its part, has activated 4.5 million militiamen across the country in response to the unusual initiative by the Republican administration, which does not recognize the Maduro government but is regularly forced to negotiate with it on issues such as the mass deportation of Venezuelans or the activities of Houston-based Chevron in crude oil exploitation in partnership with the state oil company PDVSA. "The empire has gone mad and has renewed its threats to Venezuela's peace and tranquility," said the head of the Miraflores Palace.

A U.S. official told Reuters that "several P-8 spy planes, warships and at least one attack submarine" would also be deployed, and that the plan is for all operations to occur in international air and maritime space. The execution of targeted strikes is not ruled out. To what extent this can deter or hit cartels and other criminal structures supplying the drug market is an issue that requires letting some prudent time pass and a good methodology afterward.

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