Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rejected claims made by the U.S. government on Saturday, asserting that his country is not involved in drug trafficking.
Maduro stated, “Venezuela is innocent. All actions taken against Venezuela only serve to justify a war, attempt to change the regime, and steal our vast oil wealth.”
For several weeks, U.S. forces have been targeting speedboats off the coast of Venezuela, suspected of transporting drugs to the United States. Reports indicate that dozens have been killed during these operations, which have faced significant criticism, partly due to the lack of initial legal basis for the actions from the Trump administration.
Recently, Maduro cautioned against direct military intervention by the United States, accusing Trump of fabricating a war against his nation. During a meeting with Caribbean parliamentary members in Caracas, he said, “Enough with the threats, enough with the fascism.”
Maduro pointed out that one reason for heightened tensions with the U.S. is Venezuela’s status as having the largest oil reserves and the fourth-largest natural gas reserves globally.
The U.S. accuses Venezuela of exporting drugs and violence into its territory. According to the U.S. government, Maduro’s regime has transformed Venezuela into a drug-trafficking state and has partnered with Colombian gangs to export drugs to Europe and the United States through a suspected criminal group known as the “Cartel of the Sun,” allegedly composed of high-ranking Venezuelan officials.