Wilder Fernández, a fisherman in the waters near Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, recently expressed concern about the implications of increased U.S. military activity in the Caribbean. He has been fishing for 13 years and now worries about his safety, not from local threats but from potential U.S. strikes aimed at foreign drug trafficking operations linked to the Venezuelan government led by Nicolás Maduro. Since September 2, the U.S. has claimed to have conducted several strikes on “narco-boats,” resulting in at least 27 fatalities, although evidence for these allegations has not been publicly presented.
Tensions escalated when U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that he was contemplating strikes on Venezuelan soil and affirmed that the CIA had been authorized to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela. The U.S. claims the military operations aim to counteract “narco-terrorists,” which has raised questions about compliance with international law, given the lack of evidence presented for the strikes.
Fernández’s fears are echoed by others in the fishing community. His wife has urged him to leave his fishing job for safety concerns, saying there are limited alternative employment options. He speculated that mistakes could lead to his boat being struck in a crossfire. Meanwhile, U.S. claims regarding the naval operations have been met with skepticism from those in the region, including Venezuelan officials who have accused the U.S. of mounting threats against their sovereignty.
Local fishermen like Usbaldo Albornoz have noticed a palpable anxiety among their crews. Reports indicate that many fishermen are hesitant to take to the waters amidst concerns of being caught in military actions, alongside other ongoing threats, including piracy and declining earnings. Efforts from the Venezuelan government to mobilize militia and encourage fishermen to join civilian forces have been met with a mixed response, suggesting deep-seated concerns about job security and safety in the fishing industry.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c77z48lg2l5o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss