The main reason behind Trump’s hardline stance against Venezuela
The former Iranian ambassador to Venezuela believes that Donald Trump used the false pretext of fighting drugs and terrorism to bypass domestic U.S. considerations and restrictions on military actions.
In an interview with ISNA about Trump’s hostile policies and U.S. aggressive actions in the Caribbean, Hojatollah Soltani explained that the Trump administration’s objectives regarding Venezuela can be analyzed in two parts: the first relates to factors affecting relations with Venezuela, as the U.S. administration has been dissatisfied with the Bolivarian government’s policies over the past 25 years, viewing them as contrary to its interests, and has recently openly expressed its interests in Venezuela’s abundant oil and gas resources.
He added that part of Trump’s confrontation stems from U.S. international behavior and the National Security Doctrine, which seeks global American hegemony, with Latin America considered an easier starting point.
Regarding Trump’s accusations that Venezuela is a major drug trafficking source, Soltani stated these are false claims used for propaganda and legal justification, while UN statistics recognize Venezuela as free of drug cultivation, with 70% of drugs produced in Colombia and 25% from other routes outside Venezuela.
He explained that Trump repeatedly used terms like “terrorist organization” and “drug trafficking” to bypass domestic U.S. constraints on military actions, especially after a congressional proposal to limit military powers was rejected.
Soltani added that Trump primarily aims to provoke internal movement in Venezuela, for instance through a naval blockade to strangle government foreign revenues and cause economic problems. If these measures fail, limited strikes may follow.
He emphasized that Venezuela is not seeking war, and Maduro aims for peaceful resolution and resistance to foreign intervention. He also noted that Iran supports free nations and condemns any U.S. hostile actions toward Venezuela, consistent with Iranian policy and bilateral relations. / Isna
