US President Donald Trump wants to turn Venezuela into a colony of the US, according to Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, during an interview with BBC's Newshour.
Saab asserted that calls for regime change in Venezuela are a facade aimed at seizing the country’s valuable resources like gold, oil, and copper. He emphasized there is no doubt about intentions behind US actions, framing them as part of a long history of failed attempts at undermining the Venezuelan government.
The US has not recognized Nicolás Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader, particularly after the controversial 2024 election that was widely deemed undemocratic. Recently, Trump has discussed potential land action in Venezuela, indicating further military engagement.
Under his administration, significant military actions have commenced along South America’s coast, with at least 43 casualties reported in operations targeting alleged drug vessels. Concerns regarding the legality of such military orders have emerged from bipartisan members of Congress.
In a recent discussion, Senator Lindsey Graham also mentioned that land strikes were still a viable option, indicating a potential briefing for Congress members on future military plans when Trump returns from a trip to Asia.
Saab stated that while they are prepared for any aggression, they still wish to explore diplomatic dialogue with the US, despite describing the anti-drug trafficking operations as illegitimate.
Meanwhile, the US has intensified its military presence in the Caribbean, with a deployment framed as a crackdown on narcotics, but many analysts suspect it is a tactic to destabilize Maduro's leadership.
Venezuela has condemned the US actions as military provocations and claimed a capture of a mercenary group connected to US intelligence, indicating fears of a possible orchestrated conflict in the region.
