By Can Efesoy
Venezuela’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Freddy Eduardo Molina Gutierrez, emphasized that the US is using the fight against drugs as an excuse for intervention, arguing that its real aim is not counternarcotics but occupation.
Speaking to Anadolu on the recent tensions between Caracas and Washington, Gutierrez criticized US airstrikes on boats it said were linked to Venezuelan drug traffickers, describing the operations in the Caribbean Sea as unlawful and unjust.
He pointed to independent reports published by the UN and US-based institutions, saying drug routes mostly originate in Colombia rather than Venezuela.
According to the data, 87% of narcotics move through the Pacific and 8% through the Caribbean via multiple countries, while only around 5% pass through Venezuelan territory, he said.
The envoy said the US is using “a counternarcotics pretext” while sending destroyers, smaller warships and nuclear submarines to the Caribbean, claiming the real target is Venezuela’s natural resources.
Gutierrez stressed that US data is inconsistent, noting that fewer people were found on one of the first boats struck than claimed and that the vessel’s small size made it unlikely to carry enough fuel, crew and narcotics to reach US shores.
- Risk of escalation
On the potential for US military strikes in Venezuela under the guise of anti-drug operations, Gutierrez said that such actions would be perceived as a declaration of war by Venezuela.
He emphasized the significant power disparity between the two countries, noting that they could not fight on equal terms.
Gutierrez also recalled Venezuela’s historical role in fighting for the independence of other nations from the Spanish Empire under Simon Bolivar nearly 200 years ago and highlighted the country's peaceful and humanitarian order.
He pointed out that Venezuela's traditional military tactics would be ineffective in a potential conflict with the US but expressed confidence in the resilience of the Venezuelan people, noting that millions have signed up to learn basic defense skills.
Recalling President Nicolas Maduro's consistent warnings about the possibility of US intervention, Gutierrez stressed that any US assault would not go unpunished.
He also suggested that Latin American countries would unite in response to any US attack on Venezuela.
- Venezuela's oil wealth in focus
Gutierrez said his country has no doubt that the US is planning an invasion following remarks by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about potential military action in Venezuela.
He emphasized that tensions with the US have persisted since Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution began in 1999, which allowed the nation to regain control of its natural resources.
Gutierrez explained that the US opposition stems from Venezuela’s decision to use oil revenues for its own benefit instead of redirecting them to the US.
He also pointed out Venezuela's strategic position, noting that the country’s oil shipments can reach US refineries in just six days, making it a highly attractive target for the US compared to other regions.
- Drug trafficking claims ‘false’
Gutierrez underlined that the US is falsely labeling the Tren de Aragua criminal group as a terrorist organization to justify intervention under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking.
He stressed that the real aim behind this narrative is to justify invasions, not drug enforcement.
Gutierrez said the largest drug cartels and mafias operate within the US and that drug money is primarily laundered in the US and Europe, not in Latin America. He also highlighted that while the US is the biggest consumer of drugs and Colombia the largest producer, neighboring countries like Venezuela are affected by the problem.
- Dialogue still possible with the US
Gutierrez said his country does not see Washington’s rejection of Maduro’s call for talks as irreversible. He emphasized that the invitation for dialogue is rooted in the bonds of goodwill between the peoples of Venezuela and North America.
He stressed that Venezuela is not hostile toward the American people but opposes colonialism, adding the country remains open to all negotiations based on equality and peace.