PrintSmith wrote: There's that Trump fixation again . . . how many others fail to recognize Maduro as the legitimate leader in Venezuela HA? Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, the EU, Australia, Germany, the UK, Norway, Sweden . . . none of them recognize the legitimacy of the last Venezuelan election, do they. It's not just Trump, it's the majority of the civilized world.
Interestingly enough, places like China, Russia, and Cuba are happy with a dictator seizing power, but most of the world isn't. Trump just has additional reasons to take action against a narco-terrorist state given the harm it is doing to the people of this Union that, say, Australia, really doesn't have a stake in.
Overview of Overdose Deaths
Deaths from Fentanyl
In 2022, approximately 83,000 people died from opioid overdoses in the United States.
The majority of these deaths were attributed to fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic substances.
Fentanyl is about 50 to 100 times stronger than many prescription opioids.
Deaths from Cocaine
In 2018, there were 14,666 overdose deaths from cocaine.
The rate of cocaine-related overdose deaths has increased significantly, with a rise of about 27% each year from 2013 to 2018.
Overdose deaths involving cocaine often include cases where cocaine is mixed with synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
Comparison of Deaths
Substance Estimated Deaths Year
Fentanyl ~83,000 2022
Cocaine 14,666 2018
Fentanyl is the leading cause of overdose deaths, significantly outpacing cocaine-
AGAIN....FENTANYL IS NOT VENEZUELA'S FIRST FINANCIAL EXPORT.....THAT WOULD BE MEXICO
Trying to drive right by all of the Mexican cartels that this narco-terrorist state is doing business with HA? Let me remind you of some of them . . . "noting that drug trafficking organizations ranging from Mexican cartels, such as El Tren de Aragua, Los Zetas, Ángeles Caído and the Sinaloa Cartel, to armed far-right Colombian organizations and the FARC and ELN, have operated from Venezuela."
Laundering their money, obtaining and shipping the precursors for the fentanyl, kidnappings, petroleum, weapons . . . you seem to be of the mistaken belief that the narco-terrorist state of Venezuela has but a single revenue source, the sale of cocaine. Such is not the case, cartels are diverse operations, just like our domestic Cosa Nostra.
Difference between Mexico and Venezuela? Mexico's president was duly elected and isn't the de facto head of a cartel. Trump has offered US military help to Sheinbaum, and thus far she has said thank you, but no. With a legitimate government, Trump won't act unilaterally, he'll work with the duly elected government of that country. Mexican cartels also aren't using open ocean to transport their poison into these United States, Maduro is.
It's almost as if you think that an effort to try and reduce the loss of 15M US lives a year isn't a worthwhile endeavor HA . . .
PS...DID WE HAVE INTEL ON THE CARGO ABOARD? DID WE KNOW IT'S DESTINATION? i AM UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS WAS A BLANKET E. O. FOR ALL VESSELS FLYING THE VENEZUELA FLAG OR COUNTRY MANIFEST?......SHOW ME ANYTHING DIFFERENT....
A Venezuelan dissident who just won the Nobel Peace Prize, fled her native land on a boat. She supplied her itinerary to the US Navy so her ship wasn't attacked.
She applauds President Trump for taking on the Maduro government after they stole the election from her.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.