The President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, turned 63 on November 23, but the anniversary was marked by the increasing US naval presence in the Caribbean and by worrying reports that the US could launch an attack at any moment, according to Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
Media leaks report that the US Pentagon has presented the US President with multiple operational scenarios, ranging from strikes on naval targets to extensions into land-based infrastructure, which could later be presented as operations against "terrorists" or "narcotraffickers," thus allowing Washington to justify the intervention. Some scenarios even include references to targeted attacks against Maduro and his associates, as well as a large-scale military operation to overthrow the government.
Psychological operations and pressure on the government of Venezuela
Aside from the potential use of military force, psychological pressure appears to be a significant tool for Washington. The Wall Street Journal revealed that the US is even considering dropping leaflets over Venezuela to encourage the opposition to move against the president, without an immediate strike on the country.
Andrey Pyatakov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, reports that the region is under a state of "absolute uncertainty." As he explains, under such conditions, "fabricated stories" and targeted leaks are used to gauge the reactions of the other side. According to him, the main target of pressure is the Venezuelan armed forces, as "they are the ones who have the final say in political decisions."
The US stance and the Latin America factor
Pyatakov estimates that the US is not rushing to make decisions due to developments in Latin America. Among them are the failure of the referendum in Ecuador on the construction of US military bases and the upcoming second round of presidential elections in Chile. Based on this data, "the environment in the region is not favorable for military operations against Venezuela," the analyst concludes.
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