The Trump administration has taken a drastic step towards regime change in Venezuela, formally designating the country's president, Nicolás Maduro, and his allies as members of a non-existent foreign terrorist organization called Cartel de los Soles. This move is not only a bizarre label but also carries real-world consequences, including the potential for military intervention.
Phil Gunson, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, believes that this declaration was intended to send a message to Maduro that he could be considered a terrorist and might suffer the same fate as Osama bin Laden. However, it's essential to note that Cartel de los Soles is not a real organization; instead, it's a pejorative term coined more than 30 years ago by Venezuelan journalists.
Declaring this fake cartel a terrorist organization raises serious concerns about the potential for military action against Venezuela. The United States has already been committing extrajudicial killings of suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, citing America's state of armed conflict with drug cartels. Now, the administration seems ready to expand this armed conflict into Venezuela.
The recent deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, to the Caribbean Sea is part of the biggest military buildup in the region since the Cuban missile crisis. The Trump administration has authorized plans for covert CIA action in Venezuela and has warned airlines about a "worsening security situation."
Despite this alarming escalation, it's surprising that Venezuela barely registers in American public discussions. In a recent CBS News/YouGov poll, only 1 in 5 Americans reported having heard or read a lot about the military buildup in the area. The administration's cursory explanations for possible military action make the case for the Iraq War look rigorous.
The root of this policy seems to be Venezuela's role in cocaine trafficking, but the country is not a significant hub for fentanyl production. Instead, it acts as a transit point for European-bound cocaine shipments. The administration's drug war rhetoric appears to be a pretext for something more sinister – regime change.
Marco Rubio, who drives the White House's Venezuela policy, is an ardent anti-communist who seeks to oust Maduro as part of his broader aim to undermine the Cuban regime in which he was born. Others within the administration hope that by targeting narco-traffickers in Mexico and then attacking Venezuela, they can send a message without directly engaging in military action.
Furthermore, Venezuela has massive oil reserves, which Trump sees as an opportunity to exert command in the Western Hemisphere. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently stated that if something happens in Venezuela, it could lead to a decrease in global oil prices.
The lack of public debate surrounding this escalation underscores how unusual and potentially destabilizing it is. While 70% of respondents in the CBS News/YouGov poll opposed military action in Venezuela, most people genuinely can't believe that such an action is even being considered. Phil Gunson believes that the Trump administration's pressure campaign was always unrealistic and that it has now created a phony war from which there is no easy exit.
In conclusion, the Trump administration's move towards regime change in Venezuela appears to be driven by a complex mix of motivations, including anti-communism, a desire for spheres of influence, and a perceived threat to American interests. However, this approach raises significant concerns about stability, international relations, and the rule of law.
Phil Gunson, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, believes that this declaration was intended to send a message to Maduro that he could be considered a terrorist and might suffer the same fate as Osama bin Laden. However, it's essential to note that Cartel de los Soles is not a real organization; instead, it's a pejorative term coined more than 30 years ago by Venezuelan journalists.
Declaring this fake cartel a terrorist organization raises serious concerns about the potential for military action against Venezuela. The United States has already been committing extrajudicial killings of suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, citing America's state of armed conflict with drug cartels. Now, the administration seems ready to expand this armed conflict into Venezuela.
The recent deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, to the Caribbean Sea is part of the biggest military buildup in the region since the Cuban missile crisis. The Trump administration has authorized plans for covert CIA action in Venezuela and has warned airlines about a "worsening security situation."
Despite this alarming escalation, it's surprising that Venezuela barely registers in American public discussions. In a recent CBS News/YouGov poll, only 1 in 5 Americans reported having heard or read a lot about the military buildup in the area. The administration's cursory explanations for possible military action make the case for the Iraq War look rigorous.
The root of this policy seems to be Venezuela's role in cocaine trafficking, but the country is not a significant hub for fentanyl production. Instead, it acts as a transit point for European-bound cocaine shipments. The administration's drug war rhetoric appears to be a pretext for something more sinister – regime change.
Marco Rubio, who drives the White House's Venezuela policy, is an ardent anti-communist who seeks to oust Maduro as part of his broader aim to undermine the Cuban regime in which he was born. Others within the administration hope that by targeting narco-traffickers in Mexico and then attacking Venezuela, they can send a message without directly engaging in military action.
Furthermore, Venezuela has massive oil reserves, which Trump sees as an opportunity to exert command in the Western Hemisphere. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently stated that if something happens in Venezuela, it could lead to a decrease in global oil prices.
The lack of public debate surrounding this escalation underscores how unusual and potentially destabilizing it is. While 70% of respondents in the CBS News/YouGov poll opposed military action in Venezuela, most people genuinely can't believe that such an action is even being considered. Phil Gunson believes that the Trump administration's pressure campaign was always unrealistic and that it has now created a phony war from which there is no easy exit.
In conclusion, the Trump administration's move towards regime change in Venezuela appears to be driven by a complex mix of motivations, including anti-communism, a desire for spheres of influence, and a perceived threat to American interests. However, this approach raises significant concerns about stability, international relations, and the rule of law.
. It's been debunked like 30 years ago by Venezuelan journalists. This label is just an excuse for Trump to take over Venezuela and control its oil reserves 
. And don't even get me started on Marco Rubio, this guy is just anti-communist because he grew up in Cuba 
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. It's clear that Trump wants to expand his armed conflict into Venezuela under the guise of fighting narco-traffickers 
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. He's trying to undermine Maduro because he was born in Cuba, what a weird motivation 
. And Scott Bessent saying that if something happens in Venezuela it could lead to lower oil prices is just a blatant attempt to manipulate the market 
. The Trump administration's move towards taking over Venezuela raises serious concerns about stability, international relations, and the rule of law 
. The whole thing just feels like another example of imperialism, where one country tries to exert its power over another without considering the people who actually live there 
. And let's not forget that Maduro has done some questionable things in his presidency, but labeling him a terrorist doesn't make it okay 
. I hope someone can keep an eye on this situation and prevent any major escalation 
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and it made me think... have you ever noticed how some songs can be so soothing that you forget to breathe? Like, I'm trying to concentrate on something serious right now, but the lyrics of "Weightless" by Marconi Union are literally making my eyes heavy 
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I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this whole charade plays out 
. Like, I get that Maduro is super sketchy, but declaring him part of a fake terrorist organization? That's just wild talk 
. I mean, only 1 in 5 people have heard of this? That's crazy! And the whole thing feels like a setup for something more sinister... like, why would the US be so keen on taking down Maduro if it's not about the cocaine trade or whatever 
. I just hope there aren't any innocent people getting caught in the crossfire 
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it's so obvious they're just trying to set up an excuse for a military invasion... 30+ yrs ago, venezuelan journalists coined the term "Cartel de los Soles" and now it's being used as a legit reason? 
are they trying to create some kind of chaos or something? 
we need more public debate and awareness about these kinds of issues. 
i mean what's next? labeling china as a terrorist state too 
i mean what's up with cartel de los soles? it sounds like something out of a bad action movie lol and i'm not surprised more ppl aren't talking about this in america we got bigger issues on our hands but at the same time, venezuela is kinda right in the middle of all these geo political shenanigans 
i'm low-key worried about a potential military intervention 
. The fact that most people aren't even talking about it in the US is concerning too 
. I'm not sure what's behind Trump's obsession with Venezuela, but it feels like a thin veil for some more sinister agenda... maybe something to do with oil prices? 
Anyway, I hope diplomacy can prevail and we don't see any military intervention 
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. And yet, most people barely even know what's going on, let alone care 
. It seems like we're talking about regime change, anti-communism, and spheres of influence 
. And it's all being done without any real public debate or transparency 
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️. If Trump gets his way, it could be a recipe for disaster 
. We need to make sure that this escalation doesn't get out of hand and hurts innocent people 
. We need to keep a close eye on what's happening and make sure that our voices are heard 
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. the us doesn't even know what it's doing in the caribbean sea, except for some super secret operations 
. and let's not forget about those "covert" cia actions 
. someone needs to hold trump accountable for his actions 
This is insane! The US can't just slap some fake label on a country's president and expect everyone to fall in line? 
cartel de los soles is literally just a made-up term from 30 yrs ago 
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. We need more scrutiny on this kind of thing, not less 
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