Trump pardons former Dominican President, Juan Hernandez

Who had been convicted by a New York Court for trafficking illegal drugs

- VIJAYA CHANDRASOMA

In recent months, there have been escalating hostilities between US President Trump and Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro.

The United States has been accusing Maduro of being the leader of the narco-terrorist organization designated as the “Cartel de los Soles”, responsible for trafficking drugs into the United States.

Neither Trump nor US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who made this claim in July, has provided a shred of evidence.

Experts say that Cartel de los Soles is not a cartel, but a term used to describe alleged criminal networks within the armed forces of Venezuela, presumably led by Maduro, who are, again allegedly involved in the international drug trade.

They pose no danger to the safety of the United States.

On the other hand, Maduro has accused the US drug offensive as an excuse for orchestrating regime change with the object of seizing Venezuelan oil.

Maduro is widely considered a dictator, leading an authoritarian government, rife with serious human rights violations, electoral fraud, and severe economic hardship, despite being an oil-rich country.

But there are differences - Maduro is just 63 years old, has over a decade’s experience as a dictator, boasts a swarthy skin color without a tinge of orange and a luxuriant moustache.

The United States has been committing acts of war on the open seas, and conducted its 22nd strike on unidentified boats last Thursday.

These strikes against suspected drug carrying vessels in the Caribbean have so far killed over 80 people, whom the Trump administration alleges are drug-trafficking terrorists smuggling drugs into the US, responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans.

The strikes are random, and no evidence, not even an explanation, has been provided for its decision to attack these unidentified boats.

Congress has not been informed of these bombings, and funds have not been allocated for the project.