Thousands of flag-waving protesters took part on Tuesday in a march organised by the Government of Venezuela to denounce US threats against the country.
The march came after Washington labelled the Cartel of the Suns a terrorist organisation and deployed warships to the Caribbean as part of an alleged anti-drug operation targeting Venezuela.
US President Donald Trump has alternated between suggesting the possibility of military strikes against Venezuela and expressing willingness to speak with President Nicolás Maduro. He has authorised covert CIA operations in the country and has not ruled out direct military intervention.
Venezuela responded by calling the US designation of the Cartel of the Suns a “new and ridiculous lie” intended to justify an “illegitimate” military intervention, amid ongoing tensions between the two nations.
The existence of the Cartel of the Suns remains disputed by many experts, who believe it may instead refer to corrupt networks tolerating illegal activities rather than being a structured organisation.
“They always invent a scenario, just as they did with (Saddam) Hussein and (Muammar) Gaddafi, to destroy these countries and their peoples,” Candido Miquilarena, a 63-year-old community leader, told French news agency AFP.
Following the march, several hundred police officers, military personnel, and community leaders gathered at the esplanade of the Fuerte Tiuna Military Academy in Caracas. The event marked the anniversary of Venezuela’s receipt of the “Sword of Peru,” a 200-year-old relic symbolising independence granted to Simón Bolívar.
“We are prepared to face anything that may come while remaining loyal to President Nicolás Maduro,” América Romero, another 63-year-old community leader, told AFP.
