Experts: Trump is trying to push for a regime change in Venezuela
Michael Maloof, a former senior analyst for security policy at the Office of the US Secretary of Defense, told SputnikInternational that Trump is trying to push for a regime change in Venezuela.
He said, "The continuous buildup of forces in the Caribbean over the past few weeks confirms this - we have all seen it. Deploying F-35 fighters and 10,000 soldiers to Puerto Rico is no coincidence. Therefore, I believe he has clearly set his sights on Venezuela. This also reveals other layers of meaning: Trump is more focused on regions that affect America's sphere of influence. From Greenland, Panama, to Venezuela today, it is the same."
Maloof believes that drug trafficking is merely a specific manifestation of this strategy.
He said, "Whether Maduro controls the drug trade is something only the intelligence agencies can determine. But Trump has classified some drug cartels as terrorist organizations, which are based in Venezuela and Mexico. However, his current focus is on Venezuela."
Maloof pointed out another reason that is rarely mentioned: Venezuela is allowing China and Iran to expand their influence in the region and is helping them with military deployments and power projection in the Caribbean Sea - a region that has long been considered America's core sphere of influence since the Monroe Doctrine era.
He analyzed, "The reason why China and Iran want to intervene is obvious: for years, the United States has been expanding its influence in Southeast Asia, the South China Sea, and the Middle East. For example, the US has deployed 35 military bases around Iran. But if China or Iran were to establish even one military base in the Caribbean, it would be intolerable for the United States. Therefore, as long as Maduro remains in power, Venezuela will become a stepping stone for these countries to project their influence into the region. We are witnessing the spread of Chinese and Iranian influence here. Although it is rarely mentioned, according to what I know, the intelligence community and the government are deeply concerned about this."
In September, the US repeatedly used military force to target ships suspected of transporting drugs along the Venezuelan coast. NBC reported that the US military is studying plans to strike drug dealers inside Venezuela, and such strikes may begin in a few weeks.
White House press spokesperson Levitt said on August 19 that President Trump planned to use "all American military forces" to combat drug trafficking, and did not rule out military action in Venezuela. Previously, US warships including missile cruisers and nuclear-powered attack submarines had arrived near the coast of Venezuela. The Venezuelan government called these measures provocative actions aimed at disrupting the stability of the region, openly violating the Declaration of a Peace Zone in Latin America and the Caribbean and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846280400465929/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author."