Secret Agency Allegedly Behind Unprecedented Attack in Venezuela
It's been revealed that a secret United States agency launched the country's first known assault on Venezuelan soil. This bold move, involving a drone strike on a port facility, is seen as an escalation in the ongoing efforts against President Nicolás Maduro's regime.
Interestingly, the target was a dock thought to be used by a notorious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. The strike, which happened without any casualties, provides insights into the nature of this covert operation originally unveiled via a series of cryptic announcements.
President's Admission
In a Christmas Eve call to troops stationed in the Caribbean Sea, President Trump revealed that the operation was targeting land-based facilities associated with the regime. "We hit them hard," he declared, despite refusing to confirm or deny the secret agency's involvement in the strike.
Moreover, he clarified that the strike was aimed at an "implementation area" in Venezuela, where boats were allegedly loaded with drugs. This area, according to him, has been effectively eliminated.
Controversial Actions
President Trump has openly acknowledged authorizing covert operations in Venezuela, marking a sharp departure from previous years when the military primarily carried out such attacks. Recent sightings of heavily armed MQ-9 Reaper drones in the region hint at an increase in U.S. forces.
However, these actions have raised concerns among legal experts and bipartisan members of Congress, who argue that targeting civilians - even suspected criminals - without an immediate threat of violence constitutes illegal extrajudicial killing. Calls for accountability and congressional intervention are growing louder.
The Impact of Covert Operations
Historically, secret agency-led interventions have often resulted in declines in democracy, rule of law, and civil liberties. This pattern is evident in the case of five Latin American nations that were subject to covert regime change efforts.
The current campaign against President Maduro is a continuation of previous unsuccessful attempts to oust him. High-ranking Venezuelan individuals, including Maduro himself, were indicted on federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. The reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest has also been doubled.
Regime Change: A Complex Task
Despite the persistent efforts, experts warn that regime change in Venezuela is a complicated and potentially problematic endeavor. There are concerns that overt military intervention could quickly lead to disorder and a protracted struggle.
The United States has a long history of intervening in Latin American affairs, with at least 41 known cases from 1898 to 1994. These interventions - which included both overt and covert regime changes - often failed to establish stable, pro-American democracies. Instead, they frequently led to authoritarian regimes and cycles of violence.
Historical Legacy
The U.S.'s past interventions include the overthrow of Guatemala's democratically elected government in 1954, the backing of a coup in Chile in 1973, and support for coups in Brazil, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, among others. These actions often resulted in regional instability, anti-American sentiment, and failed democratic transitions.
Studies have shown that foreign regime change efforts often fail to reduce or even increase the probability of military disputes, lead to more human rights violations and declines in democracy, and increase the likelihood of civil war and international armed conflict.
