Concerns are mounting across several Latin American countries after the United States dispatched three Aegis guided-missile destroyers to the waters off Venezuela as part of President Trump's effort to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels.
On Wednesday, the 13th Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People's Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) released a statement, strongly opposing recent U.S. military actions in the Caribbean region and reiterating support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The declaration emphasized that any foreign intervention would jeopardize the stability of Latin America and the Caribbean region. Member countries of the alliance unanimously condemned the malicious accusations made by U.S. judicial authorities against Venezuela.
Celso Amorim, special advisor to the president of Brazil, on Thursday expressed his deep concerns about the deployment of U.S. naval vessels near the Venezuelan coastline. He stated that opposing interventionism is a crucial and fundamental principle of Brazil's foreign policy. He strongly condemned the U.S. practices of linking drug trafficking with terrorism and using it as a pretext to take actions against other countries.
In addition, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Tuesday that Venezuela and Colombia share a 2,219-kilometer land border. He warned that iff the United States invades Venezuela, it will not only fail to solve the problem but also plunge Venezuela into turmoil and drag Colombia into the conflict.
Colombian economist Maximiliano Londono argued that U.S. initiative is primarily aimed at gaining control over Venezuela's abundant oil resources and may even intend to topple the country's leadership.
"The purpose of the United States threatening Venezuela with a military deployment in the Caribbean area, close to Venezuela, is to overthrow the government of Venezuela. It means a regime change. The message of Trump to the area, to the region, to our countries, to Latin America, is that the so-called Monroe Doctrine is coming again. And of course, the United States wants to take over control of oil. It's not the first time, since 1945 when the Second World War ended," he said.
Latin America countries oppose US military deployments in Venezuelan waters
Latin America countries oppose US military deployments in Venezuelan waters
Latin America countries oppose US military deployments in Venezuelan waters
