In brief
In a recent interview, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab stated unequivocally that U.S. President Donald Trump is attempting to overthrow the Venezuelan government, labeling it a move to make Venezuela a U.S. colony. The comments come amid fears of a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean connected to accusations against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and growing concerns regarding drug trafficking. Saab expressed preparedness for potential military action but remains open to dialogue.
There is no doubt that US president Donald Trump is trying to overthrow the Venezuelan government, the country's attorney general has told the BBC. Tarek William Saab, a close ally of President Nicolás Maduro, says Trump wants to turn Venezuela into a colony of the US.Trump has accused Maduro of being the leader of a drug-trafficking organization, which he denies, and there are fears in Venezuela that a US military build-up is aimed at removing the long-time Trump opponent from power.The US says it has killed at least 43 people in strikes on alleged drug boats off South America, and Trump has said the US is looking at land now after getting the sea very well under control.When asked about the possibility of a land invasion of Venezuela, Saab told the BBC's Newshour program that it shouldn't happen, but we are prepared. He added that Venezuela was still ready to resume dialogue with the US, despite its illegitimate fight against drug trafficking.The US is among many nations that do not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader, after the last election in 2024 was widely dismissed as neither free nor fair. Opposition tallies from polling stations showed its candidate had won by a landslide. But Saab said the US wanted regime change in Venezuela, accusing it of hoping to seize the country's natural resources, including reserves of gold, oil, and copper.US Congress members on both sides of the political aisle have raised concerns over the legality of Trump's strikes on boats and his authority to order them. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters that future land strikes were a real possibility, and that Trump told him he plans to brief members of Congress on future military operations when he got back from Asia.Over the past two months, the US has been steadily building up a force of warships, fighter jets, marines, spy planes, bombers, and drones in the Caribbean, which it has framed as part of a crackdown on drug-trafficking and narco-terrorists. Many analysts believe this is also part of a wider intimidation campaign seeking to remove President Maduro from power.The Venezuelan leader has accused the US of fabricating war after it also ordered the deployment of the world's largest warship to the Caribbean, the USS Gerald R Ford, which is yet to arrive.On Sunday, guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely arrived in Trinidad and Tobago as part of the US's largest military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in decades. It is officially visiting until Thursday to conduct joint training and exercises.Venezuela's government condemned what it called a military provocation by Trinidad and Tobago in coordination with the CIA. Venezuela claimed they captured a mercenary group with direct information from the US intelligence agency, alleging that a false flag attack is underway in the waters between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. A false flag operation is a political or military action carried out with the intention of blaming an opponent for it.Venezuela's President Maduro has made accusations of false flag attacks before, including a plan to plant explosives in the US embassy in Caracas.
