By Breaking Editor 
The United States has intensified its military operations and rhetoric in Latin America, particularly against Venezuela and Colombia, signaling a significant shift in regional policy and raising concerns about escalating conflict. Recent U.S. airstrikes in waters off Venezuela have reportedly resulted in numerous fatalities, with reports from NewsLink7.com indicating at least 43 deaths. Separately, international sources, including wsws.org, allege that U.S. missiles have killed five Colombian fishermen off the coast.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has suggested that the administration’s strikes could expand to land operations, noting that President Donald Trump would brief lawmakers on “potential future military operations against Venezuela and Colombia.” This follows a period of heightened tensions, with some political commentators suggesting the U.S. administration is actively seeking conflict in the region. Reports from wsws.org quote President Trump stating, concerning targeted individuals, “Los vamos a matar, ¿saben? Van a estar muertos, ¿OK?”
Further straining diplomatic ties, President Trump has suspended aid to Colombia and publicly denounced its President, Gustavo Petro, labeling him an “illegitimate narco leader.” This move coincides with criticisms from some U.S. political factions regarding how American tax dollars are allocated, with one BlueSky user questioning, “when Biden sends our tax dollars via USAID for transgender opera in Colombia or drag shows in Ecuador…nothing?” These actions have prompted calls from some regional observers for Trump and other U.S. officials to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Amid these developments, reports suggest that China and Russia are stepping in to support Venezuela and Colombia, potentially transforming a regional dispute into a broader geopolitical confrontation. The underlying justification for these U.S. military actions often centers on the war on drugs. However, some analysts challenge this narrative, pointing out that fentanyl, a leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the U.S., does not originate from Venezuela or Colombia. Critics also highlight the irony of the U.S. being the world’s largest exporter of acetone, a key ingredient in cocaine production, while Colombia is its largest importer.
The historical context of U.S. intervention in Latin America, often described as its ‘backyard,’ underscores the sensitivity of the current situation. As famously articulated by Eduardo Galeano in “Open Veins of Latin America,” the U.S. has a long history of intervention, including backing rebels to split Panama from Colombia. This legacy fuels regional sentiment, with some voices in Latin America advocating for their nations to resist external pressures, epitomized by the rallying cry, “¡Viva Colombia, viva Venezuela y muerte al imperio!”