Hey fam, big moves have popped up near Venezuela—think next-gen Monroe Doctrine vibes. 🌎 This week, the U.S. rolled out an unprecedented military buildup off Venezuela's coast, calling it a "counter-narcotics mission" to tackle drug trafficking. But experts say it's more than that.
Sun Yanfeng, director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, notes three main goals behind these deployments:
- Pressuring for the toppling of President Nicolás Maduro's government.
- Deterring Latin American countries from drifting away from U.S. influence.
- Distracting from political tensions back home in Washington.
Things heated up when former U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that Venezuelan airspace should be "closed in its entirety"—a move that even surprised some U.S. officials and drew fire from Caracas as a "colonialist threat." 🔥
On the flip side, Venezuela has ramped up its defenses—importing radar systems and S-300 air-defense missiles from Russia—and is boosting agriculture, mining, and infrastructure to cut its oil dependence. These steps make Caracas more resilient than before.
Across Latin America, there's growing pushback: Ecuador's referendum to host U.S. bases was overwhelmingly rejected, Colombia has paused security ties with U.S. agencies, and other governments warn that using "counter-narcotics" as a pretext risks dangerous precedents. Even some U.S. allies in Europe have paused intelligence sharing over concerns about human rights.
With a long history of U.S. intervention, many countries are wary. Sun warns that coercive tactics may force surface-level compliance while actually pushing nations further away strategically. 🌐
So, what's next? Keep an eye on regional alliances and grassroots movements—this isn't just about military ships; it speaks to how power, politics, and people shape our world today.
Reference(s):
U.S. actions near Venezuela signal revival of new Monroe Doctrine
cgtn.com
