‘External intervention’ in Venezuela could ‘set South America on fire, says Celso Amorim

Donald Trump talks about ground attacks against drug traffickers An “external intervention” in Venezuela “could set South America on fire”, said Celso Amorim, special advisor to President Lula, in an interview with the news agency France Presse (AFP) this Friday (24). “We cannot accept external intervention because this will create immense resentment,” said Amorim. An intervention “could set South America on fire” and lead to “the radicalization of politics across the continent”, added the advisor, without mentioning the United States. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp Amorim’s speech took place amid escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela, which has seen bombings on 10 boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean near South America —which, according to the Trump administration, were carrying drugs— and the possibility of American military operations on Venezuelan soil. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday (23) that he will take ground actions against drug cartels soon, also without mentioning Venezuela. According to Amorim, one of the elements of the chaos on the continent caused by a possible US military action against Venezuela would be, for example, “concrete refugee problems” in Brazil and Colombia. Since August, the Republican government has designated South American drug cartels as terrorist organizations and ordered military operations against them. Furthermore, he accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of heading the Los Soles Cartel and doubled the reward for his capture to US$50 million (about R$269 million). As part of the pressure against the Maduro regime, the Trump administration has also mobilized a large military presence in the Caribbean Sea, involving warships, jets, special operations helicopters and bomber planes. Image shows US President Donald Trump (L) in Washington, DC, on July 9, 2025, and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (R), in Caracas, on July 31, 2024. AFP/Jim Watson The Maduro government has condemned the attacks on boats and says the United States is seeking regime change in the country. On Thursday, Maduro made appeals in English against a possible American operation, and said “no crazy war, please” (read more below). Trump said that Maduro “offered everything” — in reference to the country’s natural resources — against a military attack on the country, however, the American refused. To justify the attacks on Venezuelan boats, Trump claims that he is preventing drugs from entering the United States, which would come from Venezuela, according to him. However, UN data weakens this claim: the 2025 World Drug Report, from the UN drug and crime agency, points out that fentanyl — the drug that causes the most overdoses in the USA — comes from Mexico, a country neighboring the USA. Amorim also told AFP that Lula will avoid “giving lessons” to Trump on the matter, if a meeting between the two leaders takes place this weekend in Malaysia. Lula said this Friday that he does not believe that the attacks on boats carried out by the Trump administration are justification for combating drug trafficking and added that “if the world becomes a lawless land, it will become very difficult.” According to the Brazilian president, the American’s statements about Venezuela demonstrate a “lack of understanding” of international politics. READ ALSO: Trump targets Venezuela to fight drug trafficking, but the drug that causes the most overdoses in the US comes from Mexico Can Trump bomb ships in international waters? Understand rules on attacks USA and Trinidad and Tobago announce military exercises near Venezuela Maduro: ‘No crazy war, please’ The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, during an event on October 12, 2025 Frederico Parra/AFP The Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, said on Thursday (23) that “Venezuela wants peace” and asked, in English, that there will not be a “crazy war” in the region, in the face of US military actions. “No to war,” Maduro said during an assembly with unions associated with Chavismo, sending a message to workers in the United States. “‘Yes peace, yes peace, forever, peace forever. No crazy war!’ No to crazy war! ‘No crazy war!'” In August, Washington sent destroyers, a submarine and boats with special forces personnel to international waters in the Caribbean. On September 2, the flotilla carried out the first of nine attacks against vessels and submersibles in the South American region — two of them in the Pacific, in which they killed at least 37 suspected drug traffickers. Maduro classified these operations as a threat and harassment by Washington, and claims that they aim to change the regime to appropriate Venezuelan oil. Venezuela mobilizes military against possible invasion by the United States Trump considers actions on land This Thursday, Trump said he must carry out military actions on land against cartels. He did not directly mention Venezuela. According to the president, the matter should be discussed with Congress. The announcement was made one day after the bombing of a vessel in the Pacific Ocean, the ninth such attack in South America. According to the War Department, the boat was transporting drugs. Three people died. Speaking to journalists, Trump stated that he will not need to ask Congress for a declaration of war on the cartels and reiterated that operations will continue. Bombings against boats US attacks 10th vessel in Latin America Earlier this week, when asked whether the US has the authority to bomb vessels in international waters, Trump replied yes. The president justified the actions by stating that 300,000 people die in the USA each year from drug-related problems. The American military presence in the Caribbean includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighters, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops. In recent weeks, American offensives have been criticized by analysts. On Tuesday (21), an independent group of experts from the United Nations (UN) stated that the bombings violate international law and constitute extrajudicial executions. The group, appointed by the Human Rights Council, said the attacks violate the South American country’s sovereignty and the US’ “fundamental international obligations” not to intervene in domestic matters or threaten to use armed force against another country. Despite Trump’s justification for combating drug trafficking, experts point out that “even if such allegations were proven, the use of lethal force in international waters without an adequate legal basis violates the international law of the sea and amounts to extrajudicial executions.”

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