The US military’s top official for Latin America presented an ominous report to the US Senate on April 6 warning that Venezuela could be a “destabilising” factor in Latin America.
“Venezuela faces significant instability in the coming year due to widespread food, and medicine shortages; continued political uncertainty; and a worsening economic situation,” said Admiral Kurt W Tidd, the commander of the United States Southern Command in his report to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“The growing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela could eventually compel a regional response.”
The United States Southern Command, or USSOUTHCOM, is a joint command of more than 1201 military and civilian personnel representing the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and several other federal agencies.
The US military leader also said that the relationships fostered by Russia, China and Iran with countries in the region pose a threat to US interests.
“Over the past decade, China, Russia, and Iran have established a greater presence in the region ... These global actors view the Latin American economic, political, and security arena as an opportunity to achieve their respective long-term objectives and advance interests that may be incompatible with ours and those of our partners,” Tidd says in the document.
[Abridged from TeleSUR English.]
[This article appeared as part of the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network April 2017 broadsheet.]