The tension comes after months in which US forces attack vessels suspected of smuggling drugs through the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. President Trump’s administration defines the activity as a “war on drugs” and an armed conflict, and a total of 35 attacks have been carried out that have led to the death of at least 115 people since September.
President Trump recently doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture and announced his intention to designate his government as a foreign terrorist organization. Maduro strongly denies the accusations that he heads a drug cartel, and claims that the US is using the fight against drugs as an excuse for a coup and taking over the country’s oil reserves. Experts point out that Venezuela is mainly used as a transit country for drugs produced elsewhere, such as Colombia.
In addition, President Trump accused Maduro of encouraging the immigration of prisoners and patients of mental institutions to the United States, against the background of the escape of about 8 million citizens from the economic crisis in the country since 2013.