Opinion By:  Patricia Johnson

The first U.S. strike against the people of Venezuela was on September 2, 2025 when 11 people were killed in Operation Southern Spear.  President Trump claimed the Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang was using the vessel to smuggle drugs.  He went on to claim “TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere”.

If the goal of the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) is to “crush” drug cartels it seems we should be attacking boats carrying drugs from the country that supplies the majority of drugs to the U.S., which is not Venezuela.  The United Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)  doesn’t appear to even list Venezuela as a country that has a cartel.

The majority of illegal drugs (cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl) that come into the United States all come through Mexico from the Sinaloa and CJNG drug cartels.  

Venezuela may not have the drugs, but they do have something the entire world uses and that’s oil. Venezuela has the world’s “largest proven oil reserves”, estimated at 303 Bbbl (billion barrels) in 2024.  “Proven oil reserves” is a measure of the quantities of crude oil that are economically recoverable with current technology.  Saudi Arabia is second with 267.2 Bbbl, Iran comes in 3rd with 208.6  Bbbl and Canada 4th with 163.6 Bbbl.  In comparison, the United States is oil poor with only 55 Bbbl.  In addition to oil, Venezuela also has the second largest natural gas reserves in the Western Hemisphere.  What more could you possibly want?

The following are now located off the coast of Venezuela:

• The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group.
• Several destroyers, cruisers, and amphibious assault ships.
• At least one nuclear attack submarine.
• F-35 fighter jets, B-52 bombers and other support planes
• Approximately 12,000 – 15,000 troops. 

It does not appear as if there is a legitimate reason for our military force to be off the coast of Venezuela.

© 2025 Patricia Johnson