Trump intensifies his pressure on Maduro after the Senate’s refusal to limit his military powers – MercoPress

Trump intensifies his pressure on Maduro after the Senate’s refusal to limit his military powers

Trump defended the extrajudicial attacks carried out by his country: “We are blowing up terrorists from cartels linked to the Maduro regime”

Despite the legislative setback, President Donald Trump continues to intensify his campaign against the government of Nicolás Maduro, whom he accuses of leading a regional drug trafficking network.

At an event held in Miami, Trump defended the extrajudicial attacks carried out by his country: “We are blowing up terrorists from cartels linked to the Maduro regime,” he said.

Also read: United States Senate rejects limiting Trump’s military actions in Venezuela

Machado, who participated via videoconference, supported the military operations and reiterated his support for the US president: “Maduro started this war and President Trump will end it,” he said.

Pentagon sources confirm that the White House is evaluating new intervention options, ranging from selective attacks against Venezuelan military units to control of strategic oil fields.

The president is considering several legal justifications for moving forward, despite analysts and legal experts warning that an incursion would violate article 2-4 of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against a sovereign state. “This would constitute an illegal invasion, comparable to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” said lawyer Heather Brandon-Smith of the Friends Committee on National Legislation.

Trump maintains an ambiguous tone about his next steps. He speaks of a “new phase” in his campaign against drug trafficking, but says he is not seeking open war. His government, however, authorized covert CIA operations and doubled the reward for Maduro’s capture to $50 million.

As the Gerald Ford crosses the Atlantic towards the Caribbean, analysts interpret the deployment as a “war of nerves” to pressure Caracas. “I have no doubt that this campaign seeks to intimidate and bring about the downfall of the Maduro regime,” said John Walsh, director of drug policy at WOLA.