The attacks against boats in the Caribbean continue, and the death toll has risen to 43. Donald Trump is attempting to rile up his base to support his hyper-aggressive “war on drugs,” without any of proof that targets of his military strikes were involved in the drug trade. Naval forces are now being repositioned in the Caribbean Sea as anticipation grows about potential attacks against Venezuela itself — ostensibly to target the cocaine trade.
Dozens of U.S. Military Assets Deployed in the Caribbean
The United States has deployed more than 4,500 Marines, along with a significant portion of its naval and air assets, to strengthen operations against cartels and demonstrate military power in the region.
The thing is, Venezuela is not an important player in this trade. It does not have widespread cultivation of coca, nor is it a significant site where large amounts of coca are processed into cocaine. While some cocaine may transit through the country on its way to the United States and Europe, Venezuelas overall role in the cocaine trade is minimal at best. Still, the United States is repositioning naval forces to the area with the certain goal of provoking confrontation with Venezuela.
So what gives?
Drug overdose data collected by the National Institutes of Health (see below), shows that cocaine accounts for only a small fraction of overall drug overdose deaths. Combined with Venezuela’s minimal role in the cocaine trade, we are justified in asking ourselves: “What the hell is this really about?”
What isn’t being talked about in these stories is the fact that Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trust requested that oil companies contribute at least a billion dollars to his campaign and related PACs with promises of economic returns far exceeding that investment. Big Oil didn’t hit that milestone, but did contribute roughly $445 million to PACs aligned with Trump and other GOP candidates.
With Big Oil’s investment in MAGA already paying off in spades, Trump seems to be working overtime to deliver them a lasting gift. And just like former President George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq, Trump appears to be manufacturing the pretext for war and regime change—this time in Venezuela—under the guise of a non-existent threat.