Against Venezuela: Trump and His Lie Factory

As he did five years ago, during his previous term, US President Donald Trump is once again braying against Venezuela, preparing what could be an imminent military aggression under the false pretext that Nicolás Maduro's government is the main architect and supporter of drug trafficking in the region and responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans.

Led by his foreign minister, Marco Rubio, the spokesperson for so many evils, accusations of all kinds were fabricated, such as that Maduro owned a huge fortune in real estate in Florida, which justified a $50 million reward for his capture.

All of this was preceded by the deployment of highly destructive warships in Caribbean waters, mainly off the Venezuelan coast, a threat that alerted the Bolivarian Armed Forces and prompted the mobilization of millions of Venezuelan civilians who joined the militias.

In addition to threatening Venezuela, Trump also threatened Mexico, threatening to bomb sites where drug cartels were allegedly located, a move rejected by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

If five years ago the motive was to create a favorable climate to prop up his then protégé Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela—a complete fiasco—this time the cause is much more dangerous, as it seeks to appease the powerful groups in Florida, all Republicans, due to the anti-immigrant policies of the Colorado and racist president, which have caused them millions in losses. Thus, with this aggressiveness, Trump is trying to please them and prevent them from leaning toward his Democratic opponents in the upcoming midterm elections.

Now, without new data or any proof, the White House is rekindling the debate about Maduro's alleged relationship with drug trafficking to justify its deployment of frigates and troops.

At this point, it’s unknown whether the magnate's action will translate into aggression or is a Trumpian move in his back-and-forth attempt to create situations in which the complacent and paid-for media play an important role in further blinding a population that is constantly the victim of disinformation.

Although Rubio has amassed great political force around his narrative against Venezuela and Cuba, and his time in office has been a catalyst for attacks on Caracas and Havana, it’s important to remember that Trump's first administration also featured highly aggressive officials, such as Mike Pompeo, Elliott Abrams, and John Bolton. These "hawks" also had greater experience in provoking and managing conflicts.

During the American magnate's first term, this clique had a fixation on Venezuela that, however, never translated into the military arena, some analysts say. However, I believe the danger is greater now due to the belligerent tone of an individual like Rubio, a hater of unfortunate Cuban origin, whom Trump praises for his "good work."

The Colorado president, whom his political enemy Hillary Clinton said she would nominate for the Nobel Peace Prize if the conflict between Russia and Ukraine ends, is known for his change of heart from one moment to the next, almost always from bad to worse, so we can expect a different course from the one he has practiced so far in his anti-Russian policy.

This could happen in the action against Venezuela, and this time, contrary to what Rossia Today comments, we must be prepared for an aggression that could spread to the entire region, regardless of the fact that the governments of Brazil and Colombia flatly reject any attempt at intervention, which, I believe, would please the regimes of Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, and Paraguay.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff