F-35s and Military Flights: Risky US Play Against Venezuela
Soldiers march in the Independence Day military parade in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, July 5, 2024. Venezuela is marking 213 years of independence from Spain. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)
The US is sending 10 more F-35 stealth fighters to beef up forces in the Caribbean. Why is the US flexing its muscles off Venezuela’s coast?
Showdown with Russia and China
The US is seeking to show “China and Russia that although Venezuela may be considered their ally in the Western Hemisphere, at the end of the day [the US] controls [the region],” Dr Vinicius Vieira from the University of Sao Paulo tells Sputnik.
The US is "redesigning the division of the world in which the US must reassure its supremacy in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in the Caribbean, Central America, and northern parts of South America."
Latin American leaders, including Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, are building relations with the world, defying the outdated Monroe doctrine of the US.
Intimidation Tactics
The deployment of F-35 fighters to Puerto Rico, along with a surge in military transport flights, appears designed to intimidate Maduro.
The US is "engaging in a quite dangerous game, threatening Venezuela," warns Vieira. "The greatest risk is an incident between Venezuelan and US forces which can trigger major war in the region with worldwide consequences."
Pretext for Intervention?
On September 2, the US struck a high-speed motorboat it claimed was smuggling narcotics from Venezuela. Website The Intercept quoted unnamed US officials who say the attack may have broken international law — and doubt the boat carried drugs. Vieira warns that the US could use provocations to build a pretext for intervention in Venezuela. Regional powers, including Brazil, have expressed concerns over the escalating situation.
WorldVenezuela Starts Preparing for ‘Armed Struggle,’ In Case of Attack – Maduro6 September, 03:38 GMT
