U.S. Troops Mass Near Venezuela, Analysts Worry About a Repeat of the "Invasion of Panama"
Recently, U.S. President Trump ordered the deployment of troops near Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea under the pretext of "cracking down on Latin American drug cartels." According to a report by the UK's Financial Times on August 28, the U.S. has dispatched seven warships and at least one nuclear submarine. This unusual naval buildup has raised concerns among many Latin American countries, including Venezuela.
According to insiders, the U.S. Navy has deployed at least one amphibious assault ship, one missile cruiser, three missile destroyers, and two support ships. These vessels carry approximately 4,500 military personnel, including 2,200 Marines. U.S. officials said that the U.S. also deployed P-8 maritime patrol aircraft to collect intelligence in this area.
These sources told the Financial Times that the destroyers "Graftley" and "Jason Dunham" are currently near the coast of Venezuela, while another destroyer "Sampson" is located in the Pacific Ocean near southern Panama. The amphibious assault ship "Iwo Jima" and two support ships are heading to the Caribbean Sea.
The White House stated that this military deployment is part of the Trump administration's strategy to combat drugs. White House Press Secretary Levitt said that Trump "is prepared to use all of America's power to stop drugs from entering our country." She also tried to deny the legitimacy of Venezuelan President Maduro, claiming he is "a fugitive leader of a drug cartel."
U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson Sean Parnell said that combating drugs requires "a whole-of-government effort and full coordination with regional partners." He added that Trump hopes "to eliminate the ability of these drug cartels to threaten American territory, security, and safety," but he refused to disclose details about future actions.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841773908788228/
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