Venezuela and the US’s ‘failed’ war on drugs

Cocaine accumulation successful Venezuela is anaemic*. As a cocaine transit hub, it’s a spot player**. So wherefore the US’s "kinetic strike" connected September 3, 2025 connected a vessel of Venezuelan "narcoterrorists"? Critics suggest the reply whitethorn prevarication successful however the long-running alleged "war connected drugs" makes it easier for the United States to people its enemies, some astatine location and abroad. *United Nations Office connected Drugs and Crime **US Drug Enforcement Agency.

The US, without providing evidence, accuses Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of being a narcotics kingpin, which helium denies. Currently, the Trump medication has deployed astatine slightest 7 warships and a submarine to the confederate Caribbean, seemingly the latest section successful leveraging the "war connected drugs" to further US authorities influence.

The "war connected drugs" was ushered successful by US President Richard Nixon successful 1971. But a Nixon aide, John Ehrlichman, famously said it wasn’t astir drugs astatine all, but alternatively astir targeting Black radical and critics of the Vietnam War.

President Ronald Reagan escalated Nixon’s warfare successful the 1980s, with his woman Nancy arsenic the look of the "Just Say No" campaign. In 1986, Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, criticised arsenic racist for imposing heavier jailhouse presumption connected Black Americans. By 1997, 400,000 radical were successful situation for nonviolent cause offences, up from 50,000 successful 1980.

But abroad, cause rules could beryllium bent if it suited Washington. According to a Senate report, Panama’s Manuel Noriega built a "narcokleptocracy" successful the 1980s with the cognition of US officials. But since Panama had the Panama Canal, it served arsenic a buffer against leftist fighters successful Central America, and Noriega was tolerated — for a time.

Eventually, the US was forced to act. In 1985, a Noriega hostile was beheaded, followed by reports of wealth laundering and Colombian cocaine processing plants successful Panama. The US indicted Noriega successful 1988. The adjacent year, President George HW Bush invaded Panama successful Operation Just Cause to depose the one-time ally.

Over the years, the US has utilized the "war connected drugs" to unit Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Haiti, and respective Caribbean nations.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has argued it is clip for thing different.

The time aft the US subject killed 11 radical by bombing an alleged Venezuelan cause boat, the US caput of authorities was successful Ecuador to designate 2 cause gangs determination arsenic "terrorists". But crackdowns overseas fragment cartels, starring to much section violence. Bulked-up information forces maltreatment quality rights. Disrupting cocaine accumulation has led to a emergence successful fentanyl and methamphetamine. In short, the "war connected drugs" appears without end.