Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Moscow, December 18. - The United States House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected two Democrat-led resolutions aimed at limiting President Donald Trump's authority to carry out military operations or attacks on Venezuelan territory and against alleged drug-trafficking vessels.
The first resolution, which received 210 votes in favor and 216 against, sought to end attacks on such vessels, requiring Trump to halt hostilities against terrorist organizations designated by the president in the Western Hemisphere unless authorized by Congress.
The second resolution, which was rejected with 211 votes in favor and 213 against, demanded that the president cease the use of U.S. Armed Forces for hostilities within or against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and other senior national security officials defended the campaign to Congress as a successful anti-drug initiative that has reduced the flow of narcotics into the United States, but gave no indication to the body about its ultimate objectives regarding Venezuela.
Military Deployment: Since last August, the U.S. has maintained a significant military force deployed off the coast of Venezuela, justifying it as part of the fight against drugs. Washington later announced Operation Southern Spear, with the official purpose of eliminating narcoterrorists in the Western Hemisphere and protecting the U.S. from drugs that are killing its citizens.
Lethal Operations: As part of these operations, bombings have been carried out against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific, resulting in nearly 100 deaths and with no evidence that they were actually trafficking drugs.
Assault on Oil Tanker: In an escalation of U.S. violent actions in the region, U.S. military forces assaulted an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. Caracas labeled the incident an act of international piracy, constituting a criminal and illegal action.
Washington has accused, without presenting evidence, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a drug-trafficking cartel and has doubled the reward for his capture.
Maduro denounces that the true U.S. objective is "regime change" to seize Venezuela's immense oil and gas wealth.
The UN and the DEA itself indicate that Venezuela is not a primary route for drug trafficking to U.S. soil, as over 80% of drugs use the Pacific route.
Russia, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the governments of Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil have condemned the U.S. actions. Experts describe the attacks on vessels as "summary executions" that violate international law. (Text and photo: RT)
