The Secretary of National Security of the United States, Kristi Noem, said in an interview with Fox News this Monday (22) that Donald Trump’s government is acting to remove Venezuela’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro.
According to Noem, the White House is increasing pressure on the Chavista regime – militarily, politically and economically – to send a message to the world that the illegal activities in which Maduro participates “will no longer be tolerated.”
“We are not only intercepting these ships,” he said in regards to the blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers, “but we are also sending a message to the entire world that the illegal activity in which Maduro participates cannot be tolerated. He has to go. We will defend our people.”
The Secretary of Security insisted that Maduro’s dictatorship “uses dollars” from the oil business to “propagate” drugs that “are killing the next generation of Americans.”
“So, don’t forget what this is about. This is an enemy of the United States against which we are taking strong measures,” he highlighted.
Although the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has assured that Maduro’s “days are numbered”, the official objective of the American government’s strategy in relation to Venezuela is to contain drug trafficking and recover the “oil rights” of American companies.
The United States said on Sunday that it is maintaining an “active pursuit” to intercept a third oil tanker near the Venezuelan coast, after Trump announced a blockade of entry and exit from Venezuela for all ships sanctioned by the American government.
The oil blockade was ordered after months of American military deployment in the Caribbean, intended to intercept vessels loaded with drugs that Washington links to the Maduro regime, whom it accuses of leading the so-called Cartel de los Soles, an accusation that Caracas denies.
In turn, Maduro accused the United States of piracy for the seizure of ships with Venezuelan oil and announced actions to ensure that these acts do not go unpunished, including a complaint before the UN Security Council.
