Agency:agencies
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US President Donald Trump declared Venezuela’s airspace ‘completely closed’, increasing the possibility of a military conflict. Venezuela’s army is weak due to outdated weapons and lack of resources, but the Maduro government is working on a strategy of guerrilla-style resistance and spreading anarchy. Caracas called it ‘colonial intimidation’.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday made a statement that created a stir throughout South America. Trump said that the entire airspace over and around Venezuela should be considered ‘completely closed’. He did not say what this meant or what further steps would be taken, but it is clear that America is now openly increasing pressure on Venezuela. Trump has already indicated several times that the US Navy is attacking suspected ‘drug boats’ in the Caribbean and Pacific and that the action may extend to land in the future as well. Interestingly, the same Trump had also spoken on phone to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a few weeks ago and Maduro’s visit to Washington was also discussed. That means the relationship is swinging between confrontation and dialogue.
Aircraft movement reduced in Venezuelan airspace.
The impact of the statement given by US President Donald Trump regarding Venezuelan airspace is also clearly visible. According to the data of Flight Radar 24, Venezuelan airspace is completely empty. All commercial planes are avoiding its airspace. Several hours after Trump’s threat, a Cuban jet entered Venezuelan air space. The question arises whether America can attack Venezuela?
How strong is the Venezuelan military?
The reality is that Venezuela’s military force is very small and weak compared to the American army. According to Reuters report, poor training over the years, old weapons, equipment purchased from Russia but now dilapidated, all these have weakened the Venezuelan army from within. Maduro has been giving government posts to officers to maintain military loyalty, but the salary of field-level soldiers is barely $100 a month, about one-fifth of a family’s needs. Experts say that if America attacks, the stampede and desertion may increase significantly. The soldiers who have the experience of fighting, that too not with armed enemies but with the common protesters who took to the streets in the last years.
How does Venezuela want to respond to the American attack?
According to leaked military documents, the Maduro government is working on two strategies.
Plan for long guerrilla attack: If America launches an air or ground attack, Venezuela will scatter small military units in more than 280 places. That means sabotage across the country, small ambushes, and creating chaos in cities. 5,000 Russian Igla missiles have already been deployed.
Secret strategy to spread chaos: In this, the Intelligence Agency and armed supporters of the ruling party will deliberately create chaos in the capital Caracas, so that the city can be made ‘ungovernable’. The government has not accepted this publicly, but many senior security sources confirm it.
Which armed groups are active?
Colombian guerrilla organizations, particularly the ELN, are active in the western regions of Venezuela. The colectivos of the ruling party roam around in motorcycle squads and intimidate the protesters. The opposition alleges that some military units are linked to drug cartels. The Maduro government always rejects these allegations and says that the US wants ‘regime change’ to take over Venezuela’s oil reserves.
What did Venezuela say on Trump’s statement?
Venezuela immediately reacted strongly to Trump’s statement on violating airspace. The government said that this order of the US President is a ‘colonial threat’ and is against international law. Trump wrote on Truth Social, ‘The airspace over and around Venezuela should be considered completely closed to all airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human traffickers.’ Venezuela says that this statement is a clear violation of its sovereignty.
