Why the US is threatening Venezuela. Answers to the main questions

Washington, according to media reports, plans to attack military installations, airports and ports of Venezuela. US President Donald Trump denied this information, but preparations began in Caracas for a possible attack. What are the real goals of the United States in Venezuela — in the material of Izvestia.

What is happening now between the United States and Venezuela

• American B-1B Lancer strategic bombers have reappeared off the coast of Venezuela, marking the third such episode in the past few weeks, local sources say. The operation officially takes place under the slogan of fighting drug cartels and the "illegitimate regime" of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The planes took off from the Grand Forks base in North Dakota and were detected by open tracking systems, indicating a deliberate show of force.

In response, Venezuela sent troops to the borders and deployed air defense systems. In Caracas, they called Washington's actions a threat to national security and called on citizens to mobilize.

• Donald Trump has previously denied the authenticity of reports of a possible attack on Venezuela, calling them a media fabrication. At the same time, US Democrats are outraged because they were excluded from closed briefings on military plans, which, in their opinion, violates the system of checks and balances. Also, according to recent polls, almost half of Americans oppose military strikes on Venezuela.

Trump is sending troops against drug cartels. What you need to know

What are the U.S. interests in Venezuela?

• Officially, Donald Trump explains his interest in Venezuela by "fighting drug trafficking." However, data from the United Nations and the American DEA show that the country is neither one of the main producers nor one of the key transit channels for cocaine. The real reason for Washington's attention to Caracas lies deeper. The United States is seeking to get rid of Maduro, whose leftist regime hinders American influence in the region and irritates neighboring countries.

• From an economic point of view, Venezuela is also extremely important. Its territory contains the world's largest proven oil reserves, exceeding even the Saudi ones. After the nationalization of the oil industry under former Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and subsequent sanctions, production dropped, but the country's strategic value did not go away.

• Despite the fact that the United States has become a net exporter of oil, it still imports almost half of its energy consumption mainly from Canada and Mexico. Therefore, control over nearby oil sources remains a priority. Under the slogans of fighting drug trafficking and protecting democracy, the United States is actually solving the task of redistributing the energy market, and Venezuela is just one of the objects in this global game for resources and influence.

Negotiation practice: Venezuela is ready to accept Russian mediation in dialogue with the United States

Due to Washington's actions, Caracas continues to mobilize

• At the same time, the history that took place in Latin America in 2024 showed that the methods of the American special services are very unusual. According to US media reports, then an employee of the US Department of Homeland Security, Edwin Lopez, who was operating undercover in the Dominican Republic, tried to recruit the personal pilot of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in order to organize the kidnapping of the head of state. The plan called for changing the route of the presidential plane and landing in the zone of American influence. After the failure of the operation and Lopez's retirement, he, contrary to all the rules, continued to recruit for his own personal interests, hoping for a large reward.

Why is the Venezuelan oil market so important

• The country's total oil reserves exceed 300 billion barrels, which allows it to compete with the largest oil-producing countries in the world. Most of these resources are concentrated in the Orinoco region, where heavy and viscous oil with a high sulfur content is produced. This type of oil is a valuable raw material for countries with developed oil refining (for example, China, India), which makes Venezuela a strategically important player in the global hydrocarbon market.

• The oil industry is the backbone of the country's economy. The national oil company PDVSA controls the production, transportation and export of oil. For decades, PDVSA has managed the largest deposits and signed contracts with foreign companies, attracting technology and investment to develop hard-to-reach reserves.

Cartel verdict: The United States and Venezuela are on the verge of a military clash

What weapons can Washington use and how will Caracas defend itself?

• Despite the international interest in Venezuelan oil, the country restricts access for American companies. This policy reflects the strategic choice of the national oil company and the Government to control key resources independently. At the same time, on October 28, Venezuela decided to terminate energy cooperation with Trinidad and Tobago, including joint natural gas production projects. Tensions between the two countries arose after the change of power in Trinidad and Tobago, where the new government is actively cooperating with the administration of the President of the United States.

How Venezuelan drug trafficking affects the region

• There are many criminal gangs in Venezuela, one of the most famous is the Tren de Aragua. It originated in the prisons of the country. Its members are engaged in extortion, kidnapping, human trafficking and drug trafficking control. Criminals are also involved in smuggling cocaine and marijuana to other countries, primarily the United States.

• Trump accuses the government of Nicolas Maduro of the fact that senior officials, including representatives of law enforcement agencies, either turn a blind eye to the activities of drug cartels, or are directly involved in the transportation and export of drugs. The United States claims that such support makes Venezuela a significant player in the global drug trafficking network.

• The main narcotic substances that enter the United States are grown primarily in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. From there, they are transported to the United States via Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Venezuela plays the role of a transit country in these routes, providing access to ports and air corridors. Control over these routes is partially provided by local criminal organizations and military formations.

What does this mean?

• A possible US operation against Venezuela is unlikely to be dictated solely by the fight against drug trafficking. This argument serves more as a convenient cover, since even a complete shutdown of transit through Venezuela will not affect the volume of drug imports into the United States. The main motivation lies in Washington's desire to strengthen control over the region's oil resources. Trump also seeks to show determination and achieve a small victorious war on his own borders.

When writing the material, Izvestia talked and took into account the opinions of:

● Boris Martynov, Professor of the MGIMO Department of International Relations and Foreign Policy;

● Political scientist and Americanist Malek Dudakov;

● Political scientist Fyodor Lukyanov.