Finally it would seem that the United States is prepared to militarily attack the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela under the pretext of confronting and combating Drug Trafficking, the same one it used some years ago to intervene in Panama, capture President Manuel Antonio Noriega and impose a puppet government at its service.

(“The United States seems destined by providence to plague America with hunger and misery in the name of liberty”. Simón Bolívar)

In that circumstance, as is remembered, the majority of the governments of Latin America approved the act, some for their veneration of the northern master; and others, intimidated by the eventuality of finding themselves compromised in “such a case”; That is to say, supposedly protecting Drug Trafficking.

Imperialist pressure against the governments and peoples of Latin America constitutes no novelty. In the first part of the 20th century, the usual thing was for Washington to send its “Marines” to “put order” in the little republics that became agitated or that resisted the dominion of the usual dictatorships or the ruling power cliques then prevailing. That “policy” bore its fruit, until Sandino appeared, in La Segovia, and made them run.

The Cuban Revolution changed things. The White House began to realise that it could no longer intervene directly nor attack governments nor countries. It devised, then, another tactic: fascist-style Coups d’État. To execute them, it made use of the armed institutions which it controlled permanently.

The historical antecedent was imposed by the Brazilian military of the Superior War Schools, who overthrew Joao Goulart in March of 64. Afterwards would come Hugo Banzer, in Bolivia, in 1971. Then, Uruguay, in June of 73; and, later, Chile, with Pinochet; until almost closing the cycle with the dictatorship of Carlos Rafael Videla, in the Argentina of 76. Already in the 80s, in Peru a process of fascistisation of the Armed Force was established to prevent the re-edition of a phenomenon like that of Velasco Alvarado. In any case, it was possible to register in our continent, episodes taken from the past: Grenada, in 83; and Panama, in 89.

Now, in the 21st century, when the United States faces a serious crisis and deals blows everywhere to maintain its dominant presence; it would seem to combine one and the other element, modernised with the technology of our time. That is why it now shows itself in the waters of the Caribbean and off the coasts of Venezuela, in powerful destroyers of combat, attack submarines and spy planes; to which it adds, just in case it were necessary, four thousand skilfully prepared infantry.

Objectively, what the Yankee government seeks with all this is a military incursion into Venezuela to overthrow the government of Nicolás Maduro.

The argument is the same that was used against Panama in 1989, but that is a phrase behind which a clear political and economic intention is camouflaged: to impose a friendly government in the Miraflores Palace, and to seize the Petroleum, which it so badly needs in these times.

For the moment, it is worth remembering that the United States is the first drug-consuming country on the planet. If hypothetically no drug were produced in the world, or if it were not sent to the United States, the Yankee government would have something like an uncontrollable rebellion in demand of attention to the prohibited.

That explains an additional fact: no one has ever seen that in the United States a band of drug traffickers has been captured, a drug cartel, or that the DEA has been good for anything. Beyond all the offers, the reality is that in all the countries in which this entity “operates”, drug trafficking has grown and developed. The very case of Peru proves it.

For the rest, the United States has already lost the position of “first power” in a unipolar world. It no longer has the monopoly on bombs nor on missiles. Nor is it the economic power capable of managing everything. Objectively, it suffers the effects of the crisis of the capitalist domination system and sees with anguish and impotence how other forces emerge that dispute its rank.

Today, parodying Ciro Alegría, we could say that the world is wide, but it is not alien. Multipolarity has become the reality of our time.

It has been said – and it is true – that desperation blinds people. And it is curious: the higher the position in which they find themselves, the greater their blindness. Donald Trump is today the living incarnation of that drama. He is convinced of a “Power” that he no longer has. He believes himself the “king of the world”, but the world is not a monarchy.

The United States had Power in its hands when it convinced a good part of the planet that Iraq had “weapons of mass destruction”. And for that it invaded the Middle Eastern country. For that its own Secretary of State at that time had to admit in the United Nations that Iraq never had such weapons. Although it continued invading, the northern country was increasingly left more alone. Today, in the UN, its only ally “until death” is Israel. Both, like two ruffians, shake hands and help each other, but convince no one. They could be awarded, however, with the Nobel Prize for War. They would have no competition.

The United States is mistaken if it believes that invading Venezuela is taking a walk in the woods. It is confronting a country. And even more, a continent. In the southern hemisphere of America it will barely be able to count on the support of Milei and Noboa. Not even from Argentina and Ecuador. Because above those rulers, the peoples of those countries will fight in the streets against the arrogance of the Empire.

To attack Venezuela is to generate in Latin America a war of vast proportions. The White House will know where and when that sinister fact begins; but it will never know where nor when it will end. For the moment, Caracas has already mobilised its first effectives: four and a half million combatants “with rifles and missiles”. And all the people will come afterwards, if necessary.

Latin America is a continent of peace, but its people know how to defend that peace even with arms. And now in various countries there are governments willing not to bow their heads. The first words of Claudia Sheinbaum, of Gustavo Petro and of Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva have confirmed it. And of course Cuba and Nicaragua have said it aloud too. The continent will burn like a living flame if the Empire attacks us.

The “Big Press”, always at the service of the worst causes, long ago began a campaign destined to discredit the government of Venezuela. Today it continues in that endeavour, but now it convinces less.

Objectively Venezuela has resisted all the attacks from the local oligarchies and the Empire. It has managed to emerge from the crisis it faced years ago and lives a clear and resounding recovery process. It has managed to balance its economy, contain inflation, recover the purchasing power of its monetary sign, increase its productivity and guarantee citizen tranquillity. Today Caracas is, objectively, one of the safest cities in Latin America. And none of that can be hidden behind fallacies and lies.

The Empire does wrong by promoting incursions or encouraging attacks. No country in Latin America is prepared to allow one centimetre of its soil to be touched. And, as the Cubans say, whoever attempts it, will bite the dust of its soil soaked in blood, if they do not perish in the attempt. (Written by Gustavo Espinoza M.*, collaborator of Prensa Latina)