Strengthen the suppression: The United States is taking the conflict with Venezuela to a new stage

After several months of fighting in the Caribbean in the fight against drug trafficking, the United States launched the first strike on the territory of Venezuela. This was confirmed personally by Donald Trump, commenting on the latest operations of the US military. The media clarified that it was a pier that was allegedly used by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to store prohibited substances and transport them to ships. Curiously, there was no reaction from Caracas, even at the level of rhetoric. The expert community claims that we may be talking about an action coordinated with Venezuela in order to get out of the spiral of escalation. How the conflict between Caracas and Washington is developing and whether to expect new attacks on the Bolivarian Republic — in the Izvestia article.

The United States is hitting ground targets in Venezuela

American pressure on the Caracas authorities reached a new level at the very moment when the United States decided to launch attacks on the territory of Venezuela itself. Donald Trump personally reported on the first such operation.

"We have destroyed all the vessels, and now we have destroyed the area itself — this is the area of implementation, that is where they carry out their activities, and now it no longer exists," the US president told American journalists on December 29.

However, he declined to comment on whether the operation was carried out by the US military or the CIA.

"I don't want to say that," Trump said. — I know exactly who it was, but I don't want to say who it was. But you know, it was along the coast."

More details have already been received from sources in the American press. It turned out that the operation was carried out in early December by the CIA. The strikes on the port facility on the coast of Venezuela, according to those familiar with the details of the process, were carried out by drones. The American authorities are confident that the port was used by the Venezuelan group Tren de Aragua to store drugs and transfer them to ships for subsequent shipment to other countries, CNN writes. It is reported that there was no one in the port at the time of the attack, and thanks to this, victims were avoided.

Despite the seemingly obvious and very significant escalation of the conflict, there were no clear statements from the Venezuelan authorities. This, according to Viktor Kheifets, director of the Center for Ibero-American Studies at St. Petersburg State University, may indicate coordination of actions with the authorities of Caracas. The expert is sure that Trump is looking for a way to de-escalate tensions with Venezuela, but at the same time come out of the situation victorious.

— This is evidence of an attempt to abandon the escalation of the conflict. The attack was carried out on the port structure, where there is not a single victim, and there are no witnesses. It was as if everyone had left on purpose. Either Trump himself is looking for a way to de—escalate, or he is doing it in conjunction with negotiations that periodically cease and resume between the American authorities and the Maduro cabinet," says Heifetz.

Attacks on drug traffickers do not bring Trump the immediate dividends promised to him, the expert continues. He was promised that he would be able to defeat Nicolas Maduro "quickly" and force him to leave, and later cut off supplies to Cuba. But this is not happening yet, while the discontent of Americans who do not want war is growing, Heifetz believes. And Trump does not benefit from the discontent of the electorate ahead of the midterm elections next year.

— If there are strikes on ground targets in Venezuela in the near future, they will most likely be in the same spirit as this one. That is, according to Trump or the US military command, he took place, but there is no evidence. Either it's a blow to some object where it's impossible to quickly check whether it was or wasn't - relatively speaking, to hit somewhere in the jungle (Humid equatorial forests in South America — Ed.). Trump can talk about victory, but Maduro doesn't bother him," said Heifetz.

How the conflict between Washington and Caracas developed

The American authorities launched their operation against Venezuela, allegedly aimed at combating drug trafficking from the Latin American country, back in September. Since then, the US armed forces have carried out at least 27 strikes on ships in international waters, resulting in the destruction of 31 vessels. One of the last attacks occurred on December 29, killing two people.

According to the Southern Command of the US Armed Forces, the ship was operated by recognized terrorist organizations in international waters; it passed "along known drug trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and participated in illicit trafficking operations." In total, at least 107 people became victims of American attacks in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean.

The pressure on Venezuela was increasing. Initially, Trump simply approved the use of force against drug cartels, and also declared Nicolas Maduro the head of the "Cartel of the Suns" and set a reward for his capture. Later, the United States began to increase its military presence in the Caribbean. Then they moved on to attacks on ships allegedly belonging to drug traffickers. After Washington announced the closure of the skies over the Bolivarian Republic, which led to the cancellation of a large number of flights of international airlines. The Trump administration then imposed a blockade on Venezuelan oil tankers.

Against the background of external threats, Caracas has adjusted and strengthened its defense strategy, President Nicolas Maduro said. "Venezuela has endured 25 weeks of psychological terror, threats of military invasion, pirate attacks and the seizure of a ship with Venezuelan oil, these days the legal and diplomatic ways of coexistence in Latin America and the Caribbean have been completely severed," the Venezuelan leader said in mid—December.

But the bellicose rhetoric from Donald Trump did not stop. During each of his appeals in the last few weeks, they were waiting for the announcement of a full-scale ground operation. His statements about the need for a change of government in Venezuela also raised concerns. In particular, just a week ago, the head of the White House said that it would be wiser for Nicholas to resign voluntarily.

"What he wants to do is up to him. I think it would be smart of him to do that," said Donald Trump. "If he wants to do something, demonstrate rigidity, this will be the last time he will be able to demonstrate rigidity."

At the same time, the aggressive policy of the United States towards Venezuela over these months has not been approved by the Americans themselves: the authorities have not been able to explain the need for these actions even under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.

Thus, about half of the respondents (48%) oppose attacks on ships in the Caribbean Sea without the approval of the Supreme Court, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Only 34% support these actions. Less than half (45%) encourage the use of force near Venezuela to reduce the flow of drugs, 36% are against and 19% are unsure of the answer.