DONALD Trump sent warships to Venezuela as the country’s dictator Nicolas Maduro moved 15,000 troops to the border with Colombia.
Three US destroyers and 4,000 marines are sailing towards the South American coastline as tensions skyrocket.
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It comes just weeks after Trump’s administration announced a $50million bounty on the ruthless tyrant’s head.
US firepower is heading south with a guided missile cruiser, the USS Erie, and a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine expected to reach the Caribbean coastline next week.
The move comes as the US tries to officially crackdown on threats from Venezuela’s drug cartels, one of which officials accuse Maduro of spearheading.
In a bid to push US vessels out, the tyrant announced on Monday the deployment of 15,000 troops to Colombia, just a day before declaring the launch of his own fleet of vessels along the Caribbean coast.
In a video shared online, Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said this would include a “significant” number of drones, as well as naval patrols “further north in our territorial waters”.
The US deployment of vessels comes as the US President tries to squash “narco-terrorist organizations” in the region.
During Trump’s first term in the office, Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials were indicted in federal court in New York on several charges including participating in a “narco-terrorism” conspiracy.
Investigators say Maduro’s cartel worked hand-in-hand with the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which the US has labeled a terrorist organization.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) “has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself,” Bondi said.
The US government has also seized more than $700 million in Maduro-linked assets, including two Venezuelan government aircraft, since September last year, according to Bondi.
Despite the dramatic military build-up analysts have downplayed the possibility of a US invasion or US strikes on Venezuela.
ince returning to power in January, Trump’s attacks on Venezuela have focused chiefly on the activities of the South American country’s powerful transnational gangs.
Washington accuses Maduro of heading a cocaine trafficking cartel, Cartel de los Soles, which the Trump administration has designated a terrorist organization.
Maduro has accused Trump of attempting to effect regime change and launched a drive to sign up thousands of militia members.
GREEDY RULER
Elected by a narrow margin in March, 2013, Maduro has presided over the country for year as its problems skyrocket.
As his country suffered and starved, Maduro lived a life of luxury and reportedly racked up a fortune of £220million.
In 2018, he sparked outrage after being pictured enjoying a lavish meat banquet hosted by celebrity chef Salt Bae in Istanbul.
While Venezuelans can barely afford fresh meat, the president tucked into the infamous gold-crusted steaks.
“This is a once in a lifetime moment,” the president said as puffed on a cigar and ignored the widespread food shortage raging in his country.
Opposition leader Julio Borges, who fled Venezuela for fear of arrest, tweeted: “While Venezuelans suffer and die of hunger, Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores have a good time in one of the most expensive restaurants in the world, all with money stolen from the Venezuelan people.”
Only a few months earlier, his two stepsons Yoswal Gavidia Flores and Walter Gavidia Flores managed to blow £36,000 on an extravagant 18-night stay at the Ritz hotel in Paris.
The bill was equivalent to the monthly wages of 2,000 Venezuelans – a casual two weeks for the pair who frequently parade themselves around Europe’s most expensive restaurants and hotels.
And back at home, the president and his family can escape the chaos of their own making by hiding out in his luxury enclave in the capital, complete with its own bowling alley, swimming pools, lakes and restaurants.
Maduro and his so-called “dirty dozen” of top lieutenants live in fabulous estates which would not look out of place in the hills of Hollywood.
The five star bolthole is guarded by seven successive checkpoints and hundreds of heavily armed troops.
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