Trump says not planning US strikes on Venezuela

In the midst of a significant US military expansion in the area, US President Donald Trump has stated that he is not considering conducting strikes in Venezuela. This appears to contradict his own statements from earlier this month.

The US is currently sending its largest warship, the USS Gerald R Ford, to Venezuelan coast along with fighter jets, warships, and thousands of soldiers there.

Trump responded, “No,” when reporters on Air Force One on Friday asked if the media had any knowledge that he was considering engaging in strikes in Venezuela.

In response to a statement in the Miami Herald that claimed Washington’s forces were on the verge of hitting Venezuela, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered the same message.

Rubio claimed in a post on X that “your’ sources, who claiming to have knowledge of the situation, manipulated you into writing a fake story.”

Trump’s quick response on Friday appeared to contrast with remarks he made earlier this month about Venezuela on at least twice.

The US president said last week that he would not “necessarily request a declaration of war” and would instead declare, “I think we’re just going to kill people who are bringing drugs into our country.” OK? We’re going to murder them.

He continued, “Now they]drugs are coming in by land… you know, the land will be the next.”

At least 62 people have died and 14 boats and a semi-submersible have been destroyed as a result of the US military’s string of strikes on ships in the Caribbean and eastern the Pacific since early September.

The Trump administration has stated that the attacks are aimed at alleged drug trafficking, but it has not yet provided any proof to the public to back up its claims.

In a statement released on Friday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk referred to the attacks as “unacceptable” and “and their mounting human cost.”

Whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them, Turk urged the US to stop these attacks and take all necessary steps to stop extrajudicial killings of those aboard these ships.

Meanwhile, a new YouGov poll found that less Americans voted for the US Navy’s presence in Venezuela than it did in September.

Only 30% of respondents to the most recent poll said they were completely or partially supportive of the naval deployment, while 37% said they were not.

In contrast, 36% of people in September were approve, compared to 38% who were not.

Nicolas Maduro, president of Venezuela, has accused the US of “fabricating a new eternal war” against him in response to the US escalation.

He has also refuted US allegations of drug use.

According to him, “Venezuela is a country that does not produce cocaine leaves,” according to experts who claim US citizens smuggle drugs into the country through the Mexican land border.

Military is on alert in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago, which is close to Venezuela and has hosted a US warship, raised the alarm of its military on Friday and recalled all personnel to their bases in response to Trump and Rubio’s comments.

According to the AFP news agency, Trinidadian forces are being placed on “STATE ONE ALERT LEVEL,” according to a message the army sent. According to police, “all leave is prohibited” until further notice.

Additionally, soldiers’ orders to report to duty were confirmed by the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian newspaper.

Venezuela suspended a significant gas deal with Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, citing Trinidad and Tobago’s acceptance of the USS Gravely US warship.

Trinidad and Tobago claims that the warship is used for regular, planned joint military exercises with the US.

US senators are looking for answers to “anti-drug” strategy questions.

The Republican and Democratic-controlled branches of the US Senate Armed Services Committee have said that there haven’t been any responses to their inquiries into the legal justification for the US’s attacks on Caribbean vessels.

Republican Senators Roger Wicker and Democrat Jack Reed both released a statement on Friday, along with two letters requesting more details about the strikes, both of which were dated September 23 and October 6, both of which were addressed to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Source: Aljazeera