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US buildup aims to install ‘puppets’ in Caracas: Venezuela
Venezuela’s ambassador to Iran said that the United States is threatening his country with military action based on false allegations, aimed at bringing its “puppets” to power in Caracas. José Rafael Silva Aponte made the remarks during a press briefing at the Venezuelan Embassy in Tehran on Tuesday, shedding light on Washington’s imperialistic policies toward Latin America, particularly its recent military buildup off Venezuelan coasts.
Aponte said the United States has been threatening Venezuela since 1999, when the late Hugo Chávez first became president.
The threats, he added, have persisted and even intensified under President Donald Trump, whose administration has been cracking down on Venezuelan migrants in the US, deporting many and subjecting others to torture in detention centers. He added that Washington is also spreading false narratives accusing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of involvement in drug trafficking, with the aim of bringing its own “puppets” in power.
Those accusations, Aponte said, are unfounded, especially considering that other countries, namely Colombia and Ecuador, are far more deeply involved in drug trafficking, while only about five percent of narcotics pass through Venezuela. He emphasized that Venezuela has intensified its anti-drug efforts since 2005.
In line with those allegations, the United States has also increased its military threats, deploying warships, forces, missiles, and even a nuclear submarine in the southern Caribbean, the envoy said. He added that the deployment of a nuclear submarine violates the 1967 Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Venezuela has called on the United Nations for support over several deadly US military strikes on vessels off its Caribbean coast, which Washington alleges were carrying drugs.
Venezuela has said it is in a situation where it is rational to expect an armed attack against the country in the short-term, and Maduro has alleged the US is seeking a change in government.
Commenting on Western media reports about talks between Washington and Caracas, Aponte said that Venezuela is always open to negotiations but expects mutual respect. He added that while Venezuela remains ready for dialogue with the United States, Washington has shown no genuine interest in engaging.