Top Venezuelan Official Claims U.S.'s Claim About Fighting Cartels Is a 'Farse' To Target Maduro

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab claimed that the Trump administration's claim about deploying warships off its coast is a "farse" to target the country's authoritarian president, Nicolas Maduro.

"The U.S. empire has tried, and failed due to global rejection, using the farce of fighting drug-trafficking to place an unprecedented reward" on Maduro, the official said.

The presence of U.S. troops of Venezuela's coast is completely dominating the conversation in the South American country. Maduro said earlier this week that "the empire has gone mad," adding that the Trump administration is "fabricating extravagant lies" and "has regurgitated its threats to Venezuela's peace and stability."

Therefore, he said he will order the mobilization of millions of militia members to safeguard the country's security. "We'll guarantee sovereignty and peace in any circumstance that manifests itself over the next days, months and years. We will defeat American imperialism as it comes against our noble, peaceful and working people," Maduro said.

The White House, in turn, said it is "prepared to use every element of American power" to deal with the matter. Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked if the administration was considering having "boots on the ground" in Venezuela.

"President Trump has been very clear and consistent. He is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice," she began.

"The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela, it is a narco terror cartel. Maduro, in the view of this administration, is not a legitimate president. It's a fugitive head of a cartel who has been indicted in the U.S. for trafficking drugs into the country."

In February, the Trump administration designated Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, and other groups as foreign terrorist organizations. More recently, the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles was added to the list, with the administration alleging it is led by authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro and senior members of his government.

The United States also recently doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million, citing drug trafficking charges.