The Venezuelan government has accused the United States of "serious military aggression" against the countryʼs territory and population.
The corresponding statement was published by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil Pinto.
Pinto said the attacks targeted civilian and military targets in the capital, Caracas, as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. The statement said the US actions were a "grave violation of the UN Charter" and threatened peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Venezuelan authorities claim that the real purpose of the attack is to establish control over the countryʼs strategic resources, including oil and minerals, and to attempt forced "regime change". The government has stressed that these attempts "will fail", as they have in the past.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has declared a state of "external emergency" throughout the country and ordered the implementation of national defense plans. He also ordered the deployment of the Stateʼs Comprehensive Defense Command and relevant government agencies in all states and municipalities.
Pinto said Venezuela would appeal to the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary-General, and regional international organizations, demanding condemnation of the US actions. The countryʼs authorities stressed that they reserve the right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
There has been no official comment from the US government on these allegations so far.
- At least seven explosions were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on the night of January 3. Witnesses also reported seeing planes flying low over the city. CBS Newsʼ Jennifer Jacobs, citing sources, said that Donald Trump had ordered the strikes on targets in Venezuela as part of an intensified campaign against the regime of President Nicolas Maduro.
The worsening of relations between the US and Venezuela
Relations between Venezuela and the United States have deteriorated significantly in recent months. The US military has repeatedly attacked boats off the coast of Venezuela that were allegedly transporting drugs. The administration explains such steps by combating the fentanyl epidemic in the United States — deaths related to this drug have increased significantly in recent years.
In total, the Americans attacked 25 ships in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. At least 95 people died in these attacks.
In November, the US announced the launch of a military operation off Venezuela called Southern Spear, aimed at “fighting narco-terrorists” in South America. According to CNN, more than a dozen US warships and nearly 15,000 troops have been deployed to the region.
Most Americans oppose intervention. A CBS News poll found that 70% of respondents do not support U.S. military action in Venezuela. Despite this, on November 22, the United States conducted its largest show of force near Venezuelaʼs borders: F/A-18E fighter jets, B-52s, and a reconnaissance aircraft appeared near its coast.
The Trump administration also designated the Venezuelan president and his government as members of a foreign terrorist organization on November 24. This gives the US the ability to impose additional sanctions on the assets and logistics of his political regime.
Nicolas Maduro has been linked to a sprawling drug trafficking network within the Venezuelan Armed Forces, the Cartel de los Soles, which smuggles drugs to the United States and Europe.
CNN, citing sources, reported on November 30 that Maduro had hinted that he was ready to step down eventually, but had agreed to do so no sooner than 18 months later. The White House insisted on his immediate removal.
On December 16, three boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean were attacked by the US Navy, which the US military said were carrying drugs. At least eight people were killed.
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