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US attacks Venezuela under false pretext to seize its natural resources — president

The Venezuelan president believes that the main goal of the aggression is "to put an end to the largest development project in Latin America"

CARACAS, September 3. /TASS/. The US is attacking Venezuela under a false pretext in order to seize the country's natural resources and prevent its independent development, President Nicolas Maduro said on Venezolana de Television.

"Imperialism is sending eight warships and a nuclear submarine [to the shores of Venezuela] and targeting us with 1,200 missiles under the false pretext that no one believes, not even American youth, who do not believe the lies of [US Secretary of State] Marco Rubio," Maduro said. According to him, the top US diplomat "controls the White House, the Miami mafia, and wants to stain the name of [US] President Donald Trump with blood."

Maduro emphasized that the US intends to obtain Venezuela's oil, gas, gold, and other minerals for free. The Venezuelan president believes that the main goal of the aggression is "to put an end to the largest development project in Latin America, the project of the great liberator Simon Bolivar <...> and to put an end to the example set by Venezuela."

The Venezuelan leader stressed that the US will not succeed in achieving its goal and that "peace, equality, democracy, and freedom will reign in sovereign Venezuela."

Reuters reported on August 19 that three US Navy destroyers (USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson) were sent to the southern Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela to conduct operations against drug cartels. There were also reports of the deployment of the nuclear submarine USS Newport News, the missile cruiser USS Lake Erie, amphibious ships, and 4,500 servicemen.

In turn, The New York Times reported that Trump had secretly signed a directive to use military force against Latin American drug cartels. According to Rubio, on Tuesday, a "deadly strike" was carried out against a ship that had left Venezuela and was controlled by a "narco-terrorist organization." According to preliminary information, 11 people were killed in the attack.

Washington has baselessly accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of belonging to the Cartel de los Soles drug cartel, whose existence Caracas denies.

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United States Venezuela

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