Hey fam 👋, here's the lowdown: Venezuela just rejected the U.S. move to label the so-called Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist group.
Back on November 16, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation, set to kick in on November 24. Yesterday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil blasted it as a vile lie on social media, calling it a pretext for illegal intervention.
Since early September, U.S. forces have sunk over 20 boats linked to alleged drug smuggling, resulting in 80+ deaths. Washington says it's a counter-narcotics campaign, but Caracas sees a geopolitical pressure play to destabilize the nation.
In their statement, Caracas urged the U.S. to ditch its aggressive stance and respect Venezuela's sovereignty, stressing that Venezuelans will stand up to protect peace and their country's future 💪.
This diplomatic spat turns up the heat on U.S.-Venezuela relations and sparks the question: is this about drugs or power moves? 🤔
For South and Southeast Asian folks, this saga is a reminder that political narratives can shift fast—so keep your eyes peeled on how labels shape the conversation 🌏.
Reference(s):
Venezuela rejects U.S. 'terrorist' designation of 'nonexistent' cartel
cgtn.com
