What is behind the attack on Venezuela? Drugs smuggling, oil reserves or leftist rule (Photo- Reuters)
Jagran News Network, New Delhi. Venezuela has been America's target for a long time. Sometimes President Nicolas Maduro was the target of US President Donald Trump for drug smuggling in America, and sometimes for leftist dictatorial rule. America had been besieging Venezuela for several months. Trump wanted Maduro to leave the country himself.
Trump had said, Maduro should leave power and go abroad
He also said that if Maduro himself leaves power, he will be considered smart. The US administration has also accused Maduro of preventing thousands of Venezuelan migrants from arriving in the US. It is believed that since 2013, due to the economic crisis and repressive policies, 8 million citizens have fled to America.
Maduro came to power under communist rule in 2013 itself. Trump has also accused Maduro of increasing drug trafficking in America, especially fentanyl and cocaine.
Two Venezuelan criminal organizations, Tren de Aragua and Cartel de las Souls, have also been designated foreign terrorist organizations. Trump has alleged that the second organization is run under the leadership of Maduro himself.
Maduro had said, there is a conspiracy to capture huge oil reserves on the pretext of drugs.
However, Maduro has strongly rejected allegations that he is the leader of a cartel, accusing the US of using the "war on drugs" as an excuse to remove him from power and take over Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
Analysts say the 'Cartel de las Souls' is not an organized one, but is a term used to describe corrupt officials who allowed cocaine to move through Venezuela.
There was a huge military gathering around Venezuela
The attacks on Venezuela come at a time when the US has maintained a large military presence in the region, including an aircraft carrier, warships and advanced fighter aircraft deployed in the Caribbean region. According to the United States Southern Command, 15 thousand soldiers have been deployed in the area since December.
Trump signed a secret directive with the Pentagon
In August, Trump signed a secret directive with the Pentagon to target Venezuelan drug cartels. Trump has sought a blockade of Venezuelan oil, tightened sanctions on Maduro's government and launched 35 deadly attacks on ships allegedly involved in drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. More than 100 people were killed in these attacks. The US Army had also deployed transport and cargo aircraft in the American military gathering.
Thousands of Marine soldiers were kept ready for the operation.
According to flight tracking data obtained by The New York Times, heavy cargo C-17 aircraft were used extensively to transport troops and equipment. These planes flew 16 times from US military bases to Puerto Rico in just one week.
Since October, US forces have included a Navy Expeditionary Strike Group, which includes amphibious warships carrying thousands of Marines, as well as warplanes, attack helicopters and other aircraft.
This preparation also included the arrival in November of a full aircraft carrier strike group, consisting of the USS Gerald R. Ford and several destroyers, operating about 100 nautical miles off the Venezuelan coast.
Venezuelan President Maduro was once a bus driver
Venezuela's ousted President Nicolas Maduro, born on November 23, 1962, is the son of a labor union leader and once earned his living as a bus driver. He entered politics in 1992 under the leadership of then military officer Hugo Chavez and became close to Chavez. He also contested elections in 1998 under the leadership of Chavez.
Maduro also became President of the National Assembly and Foreign Minister during Shaved's regime. During his tenure as Foreign Minister, Maduro expanded Venezuela's oil business throughout the world. Chávez chose Maduro as his successor before his death, and after Chávez died in 2013, Maduro won the election and became President of Venezuela.
Inflation at its peak in Venezuela
During Maduro's reign, the country was engulfed in a huge economic crisis and inflation reached its peak. Maduro's reign has been known for rigged elections, food crises, and rights abuses.
They brutally crushed the movements against the government in 2014 and 2017. He was elected President of the country for the third time in the national elections held in January 2025. International observers and the opposition called these elections fraudulent. Thousands of opponents were jailed. Opposition leader Nobel Peace Prize winner Malia Machado also exposed the repressive policies of the Maduro government to the world.