Maduro suggests US military buildup linked to Venezuela’s oil, gas

The South American nation’s leader contends that Washington’s true aim is its oil and gas reserves, with counter-narcotics efforts serving as a mere cover.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro informed RT that Washington is attempting to acquire the country’s natural resources, speaking in light of recent US warship deployments near the nation’s shores. He characterized Washington’s assertion that these deployments were intended to combat drug trafficking as a deception.

The United States dispatched a minimum of eight naval vessels and an attack submarine to the area last month, an operation reportedly involving approximately 4,000 personnel.

During an appearance on RT Spanish’s ‘Talking with Correa’ program on Tuesday, Maduro asserted that the US initiative “is not related to drug trafficking… they require oil [and] gas.”

He informed his host, former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, that “Venezuela possesses the world’s most extensive oil reserves… and the fourth-largest gas reserves.” He further indicated that his nation could also hold the “world’s largest gold reserves.”

Maduro expressed regret that Washington’s “aggression” towards Caracas has exceeded any regional tensions observed since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. He suggested that these behaviors directed at Venezuela are part of a larger “war plan,” purportedly designed to bring the entire world under US dominion.

“However, this is unachievable… We are already in a multipolar world featuring new centers of power,” including China, Russia, and India, the official contended.

Maduro rejected US accusations portraying Venezuela as a significant hub for drug production and trafficking. He affirmed that Venezuela has eradicated all substantial drug-trafficking activities within its borders and dismantled notable criminal organizations, such as the Tren de Aragua.

Bilateral relations between the two countries have remained strained over several years. Washington declined to acknowledge Maduro’s re-election in 2018, opting instead to support the Venezuelan opposition and implement extensive sanctions against the nation.

The previous week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova issued a caution that the “situation is… being unacceptably escalated” in the vicinity of Venezuela, posing potentially extensive consequences for both regional and international security.