**New York, NY** - Venezuela has vehemently denounced a recent spate of United States actions, including targeted military strikes and a naval blockade, labelling them as the initial salvo in a broader campaign of "aggression" with "continental ambitions" across Latin America. The South American nation, through its UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada, has implored the international community to recognise Venezuela as merely the first in a series of targets for a US strategy aimed at fragmenting and dominating regional powers.
The escalating tensions were brought to the forefront during a session of the United Nations Security Council, convened at Venezuela's request to address what Caracas has described as "ongoing US aggression." The alleged provocations include a series of air strikes conducted by US forces in September against vessels operating in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, purportedly targeting drug trafficking operations. However, Venezuela asserts these strikes have resulted in a tragic loss of life, with initial reports indicating at least 105 fatalities, which some legal scholars and Latin American leaders have decried as potentially constituting "extrajudicial killings." Compounding these concerns, the US has also implemented a naval blockade encircling Venezuelan oil tankers, a move that Caracas has characterised as an illegal act of piracy and a deliberate attempt to cripple its national economy.
In a decisive legislative response, Venezuela's National Assembly has enacted a new law imposing severe penalties, including imprisonment of up to two decades, for individuals found to be supporting or financing blockades and acts deemed piracy. This legislation underscores Venezuela's commitment to safeguarding its economic sovereignty and preventing a further deterioration of living standards for its populace, which it argues are under direct threat from US interventionist policies. The government's stance is further bolstered by the assertion that the US seizure of its oil tankers constitutes flagrant violations of international law.
The rationale behind these assertive US actions, according to Venezuelan officials, lies in a purported US National Security Strategy that envisions a future for the continent firmly under American hegemony. Ambassador Moncada articulated this concern forcefully, stating, "It’s not just about Venezuela. The ambition is continental." He further warned, "We want to alert the world that Venezuela is only the first target of a larger plan. The US government wants us to be divided so it can conquer us piece by piece." This narrative suggests a calculated strategy by Washington to foster disunity among Latin American nations, thereby facilitating their individual subjugation.
The US, meanwhile, maintains that its operations, including the air strikes, are a necessary measure to interdict the illicit flow of narcotics destined for American shores. However, the unilateral nature of some of these actions, reportedly undertaken without explicit congressional authorisation, has raised questions about their legality and adherence to established international norms. The imposition of the naval blockade, occurring just the previous week, has been labelled by Venezuelan lawmakers as a "military act aimed at laying siege to the Venezuelan nation."
The international response has been divided. Russia and China have voiced strong criticism of the US actions, with Russia's Ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, suggesting that the US might be developing a "template" for future military interventions in the region. This has amplified calls from various quarters for the United States to uphold international law and for an immediate de-escalation of tensions. The unfolding events in Venezuela signal a critical juncture in inter-American relations, with profound implications for regional stability and the principle of national sovereignty.