Moscow ‘extremely concerned' about US military actions in Caribbean

MOSCOW

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Friday said Moscow is deeply concerned about escalating US military activity in the Caribbean.

"We are extremely concerned about the military methods chosen by the US to solve the problem, which are more blatant interference in the internal affairs of Latin American states than anything else," she told reporters in Moscow.

Zakharova said the US actions violate international law and “directly contradict” Washington’s obligations under the UN Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs of 1988.

"Baseless military attacks on civilian vessels are a dangerous precedent that paves the way for indiscriminate attacks on any country under the pseudo-pretext of combating drug smuggling," she warned.

The spokeswoman reaffirmed Russia's alignment with regional partners, saying Moscow shares concerns raised by Venezuela and Colombia and stressing that the fight against drug trafficking should not be used as "a lever of pressure on a sovereign state."

"We categorically oppose the use of force or threats to interfere in internal affairs under various pretexts, including the fight against drug trafficking," she said.

Washington has deployed more than a dozen warships, including an aircraft carrier, and roughly 15,000 personnel to the Caribbean, describing the operation as part of an expanded campaign against drug trafficking.

Caracas, however, accuses the US of preparing to carry out a coup in the country.

Since September, the US military has conducted at least 20 strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels, without providing evidence they were involved in smuggling, resulting in a reported 80 deaths.

In response to the strikes, Venezuela has mobilized both regular military units and civilian militias across the country.