By Tiana Cole| HGP Nightly News
Tensions between the United States and Venezuela are escalating amid a significant US naval buildup in the southern Caribbean. Washington says the move is aimed at tackling powerful Latin American drug cartels, a key priority for President Donald Trump.
Seven US warships and a nuclear-powered submarine are either already in the region or expected within days. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has denounced the deployment, describing it as provocative.
Meanwhile, the US and Panama are pushing for the UN Security Council to establish a new gang suppression force in Haiti.
The move comes as UN officials warn that up to 50% of gang members are children. Despite an earlier authorization in 2023, a Kenyan-led deployment has stalled due to a lack of manpower and resources.
The US proposal includes a UN support office to provide logistical and sustainable resourcing. The humanitarian toll continues to climb, with 1.3 million Haitians internally displaced by gang violence.
And in Brazil—
Authorities carried out nationwide raids targeting $46 billion in money laundering and fraud schemes tied to organized crime in the fuel sector.
The Federal Tax Revenue Service stated that illicit transactions were conducted through fintech companies between 2020 and 2024, with $10 billion in fuel imports and $52 billion in domestic sales linked to these schemes.
Operation Hidden Carbon resulted in the execution of 350 search warrants and the freezing of over $1 billion in assets, marking one of Brazil’s most significant financial crackdowns in recent years.
