Excerpts from Editorial – Trump Revives War on Drugs Aiming to Intensify the Domination of Latin America

The newspaper Nueva Democracia (ND) from Colombia has published an Editorial on the policy of Yankee imperialism on the not so new “war on drugs” in Latin America. This tactic is not new, it has been implemented in places such as Panama, Mexico or Colombia itself. In the 2000’s the “Plan Colombia” assigned 1,300 billion dollars to the Colombian government, of which 80% was destined to strengthen the armed forces.

The Newspaper states: “The “war on drugs” and the deployment of Yankee troops is part of the historical trajectory of submission of the peoples of the word by Yankee imperialism”.

Similarly happened in the Middle East with the invasions of Afghanistan in 2001, Libya 2011 and with the false claim of “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq in 2003.

“Even though it is clear that the so called “war on drugs” is not a real war against narcotics, but the defense of the strategic interests of the imperialist powers and an excuse for a greater submission of the peoples and plunder of resources. […]”

“Last week Trump stated that the US is in the midst of an “armed conflict” with the drug cartels and will treat its members as “illegal combatants” […] This is how the political conditions to put on the agenda a new issue of the old policy, with the manipulation of the public opinion and the “permission” to perpetuate the aggression inside the reactionary structure of the Yankee government”.

As the Yankee politicians themselves state, Latin America is of big importance for the interests of Yankee imperialism due to its mining resources – lithium, copper or gold – and also oil, which is under threat due to big investments from China in the area.

“Therefore, this new chapter of interventionism starts today and is sharpening with Venezuela, which represents for the Yankees 18% of the global reserves of oil and an open door for the Russian and Chinese “danger” in the region amidst their inter-imperialist struggles for new resources.” states ND on the deployment of troops to the Caribbean Sea.

Meanwhile the governments in the service of imperialism in the region are showing their true face: In Mexico, Sheinbaum deports Mexican prisoners wanted by the US while stating that they will collaborate “without submission nor invasion”. Lula, from Brazil, announces that he cancels the military exercises with the US but keeps Operation Atlas, an extensive operation on the border with Venezuela. Petro, in Colombia, condemns the possible invasion of Venezuela, but calls those who wants to break the relation between US and Colombia “mobsters”, criminalizing the anti-imperialists.

According to the newspaper, a partial or total invasion of Venezuela is not yet feasible due to the amount of open war conflicts (Ukraine, Palestine and Middle East in general) and the strategic plans are placed in the Asia-pacific region to contain the advance of the Chinese social-imperialism. However, Yankee interventionism in Latin America is not something new and it has previously submitted nations in the region to fulfill its plans, installing military regimes to brutally repress the people. ND adds:

“Even though the military aggression looks like a sign of strength, in reality is thatof weakness, a maneuver that powers use in time of crisis, war, when their hegemonic control in the world declines as imperialist powers, and when there aresparks everywhere”.

Currently in Latin America there is a wave of popular struggle. In Peru and Ecuador there were uprisings against the reactionary and lackey governments. In Brazil there is a vast struggle by the poor peasants led by the League of Poor Peasants (LCP). In Colombia there is a major mobilization of struggle, especially in the peasant movement and the solidarity with Palestine.

ND announces the foundation of the Coordinator of People’s Struggles – CLP as a front of independent sectors and anti-imperialists to impulse and develop the people’s struggle and the defense of the rights of the people of Colombia and the world. “This important initiative joins the important anti-imperialist movement which is strengthening in Latin American and in the world, where the National Palestinian Resistance is the beacon which illuminates the path”.