Venezuela and El Salvador have moved to strengthen bilateral relations, a development that comes as the United States escalates its military and diplomatic pressure across Latin America. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has warned that US actions could 'destabilise the entire region', following a series of security agreements Washington has signed with several Latin American and Caribbean nations.
The US has recently secured military deals with Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago, granting access to airports and allowing temporary deployment of US troops. These agreements are framed as part of a 'war on drugs', but analysts argue they are linked to the US campaign against Venezuela, which includes airstrikes, oil sanctions, and vessel seizures.
Maduro's government has accused Trinidad and Tobago of complicity in the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker, leading to the termination of gas supply agreements between the two countries. In response, Trinidad's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar defended military cooperation with the US as the 'best defence' for her nation.
El Salvador, which hosts a US surveillance hub at its airport, has not been directly involved in the latest agreements but is seen as part of the broader US military network in the region. The strengthening of ties between Venezuela and El Salvador may be an attempt to counterbalance US influence.
Maduro has sent an 'urgent call' to other Latin American leaders, warning that US aggression threatens to destabilise the entire region. The US strategy has been described by experts as 'gunboat diplomacy on steroids', aimed at rewarding allies and punishing those who oppose Washington's policies.
