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Topics: Donald Trump, US News, World News, Politics
Gerrard Kaonga
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, World News, Politics
Venezuela’s president has hit out against Donald Trump as tensions remain high, with the possibility of escalation as the US has been accused of 'fabricating a new war'.
Earlier this week, Trump made a shock announcement that the US would be escalating its fight against drug smuggling into the country.
Trump’s administration has insisted they are targeting ‘narco terrorists’ who are accused of smuggling drugs.
The US has been responding with force and has so far killed around 37 people in strikes in open water.
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Trump announced that the US could be increasing this force by targeting individuals on land, having previously confirmed that the CIA had been given the green light to undertake covert operations in Venezuela.
When asked by a reporter why he would not ask Congress for a declaration of war, he replied: "I think we're just gonna kill people. Okay? We're gonna kill them. They're gonna be, like, dead."
He added: “The land is going to be next. And we may go to the Senate; we may go to the Congress and tell them about it, but I can’t imagine they’d have any problem with it."
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has since taken aim at Trump and accused the US of 'fabricating a new war'.
Speaking to state media, Maduro said that he believes the US is seeking a ‘new eternal war’, saying: "They promised they would never again get involved in a war, and they are fabricating a war.”
These comments come as the US announced on Friday (October 24) that it would be increasing its military presence in the Caribbean region.
They are set to deploy a warship named USS Gerald R Ford, an aircraft carrier that can carry up to 90 different aircrafts.
Experts have weighed in on this escalation by the US, and argued that the country is unlikely to invade but has another goal in mind.
Senior fellow for Latin America at the Chatham House think tank, Dr Christopher Sabatini, spoke to the BBC and said: “This is about regime change. They're probably not going to invade, the hope is this is about signaling.”
He added that the military build up is intended to ‘strike fear’ into the hearts of the Venezuelan military and Maduro’s inner circle so that they move against him.
The US currently does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader after the 2024 election, and dismissed it as neither fair nor free.