Tense relationships between Venezuela and the United States have been exacerbated after reports of possible US military action in the Latin American nation.On Monday, the US designated Venezuela’s “Cartel de los Soles”, meaning Cartel of the Suns in Spanish, a foreign “terrorist” organisation, which it claims is led by President Nicolas Maduro. Washington has not provided any proof for its claims. Cartel de los Soles is actually a term Venezuelans use to refer to officials engaged in corruption, and is not an organised cartel.Several airlines have cancelled flights to Venezuela following a warning from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about a “potentially hazardous situation” in Venezuelan airspace.The advisory came after months of military build-up in the Caribbean Sea as part of what the US said were efforts to counter narcotics. Meanwhile, the top US military officer, Dan Caine, has been visiting the Caribbean region.Last month, US President Donald Trump said he had authorised the CIA spy agency to carry out secret operations in Venezuela, bringing into the spotlight the history of US intervention in Latin America.A strike on Venezuelan territory would constitute a serious escalation of the months-long US operation in the region, which has seen more than 80 people killed in a series of strikes o …
