By Harold Pease, Ph. D.
The term “Deep State” describes the network of unelected U.S. government officials, intelligence agencies (e.g., CIA), and entrenched bureaucrats who operate behind the scenes to influence or undermine policy, particularly today under Donald Trump, but many decades old under other names. In relation to Venezuela, Nicholas Maduro’s regime is portrayed as a Deep State proxy or “asset” enabling threats to U.S. interests. U.S. conservatives (e.g., MAGA) frame Venezuela as a hub for narco-terrorism, cartels, and foreign adversaries like Iran and China. Human sex trafficking long known but with children horrifyingly becoming common. Knowledge of it is largely blocked by what has been dubbed the “Worldwide Pedophile Pervert Mafia.”
Venezuela under Maduro is a “Deep State asset” from the Obama era, allegedly offshoring U.S. secrets, enabling election fraud technology via Smartmatic, created in Venezuela, to be used in several countries and in 2020 in U.S. elections installing Joe Biden. Ex-CIA Gary Berntsen and defector Hugo Carvajal (narco-trafficking guilty plea, June 2025) pushed election fraud by Smartmatic from Venezuela to Trump. Then Gen. Michael Flynn warned of Deep State false flags to drag the U.S. into ‘Vietnam 2.0’ thus urged regime change to curb China’s hemispheric influence (e.g., via Cuban/Mexican proxies)” (Infowars, Dec.2025). Regime change through an honest and verifiable election (not that of 2024 lost by Maduro who reinstalled himself anyway), is seen as essential to dismantle this network, aligning with “America First” goals like border security and countering foreign influence.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Maduro’s regime an “illegitimate transshipment organization” for cocaine (9% of U.S. supply) and a base for the Cartel de los Soles (designated as a foreign terrorist organization, FTO, on November 24, 2025). Strikes target Tren de Aragua gang drug vessels in international waters, heading for the United States, linked to Maduro, amid a refugee crisis (8 million plus people displaced). Critics like ex-intel asset Patrick Byrne claim Venezuela’s attack on the U.S. includes narco-trafficking and election meddling (Fox News Marco Rubio interview, December 3, 2025).
Rubio stated Venezuela is the “anchor” for Iran’s IRGC and Hezbollah now operating from inside Venezuela, and serves as a foothold for our adversaries (Iran, China, Russia) enabling their terrorism, drone manufacturing, and financial networks to add to the Venezuela arsenal.. This ties to broader Deep State fears of Obama-era deals “offshoring” threats.
As of December 9, 2025, tensions peak with U.S. naval buildup (e.g., USS Gerald R. Ford in Caribbean) and “Southern Spear” targeting narco-infrastructure. Rubio, a board member of the International Republican Institute leads this as a “Monroe Doctrine” blow against global threats. Trump allies like General Flynn advocate forcing Maduro’s flight for free elections. MAGA voices view Venezuela as a Deep State “cancer” requiring excision by its own people, not by the CIA as per pre Trump. American ships in the harbor are to encourage Maduro, who lost his recent election, to leave, the Venezuelans to insist he does, and the U.S. to demonstrate that we have the strength to eliminate his cartels at will. Trump wants the cartels afraid of us.
One other point needs emphasized. Narco boats lack any evidence of fishing. They also routinely lack a flag. “A vessel in international waters is required, under UNCOLS, to sail under the flag of a specific nation. If it doesn’t, it is legally considered a stateless vessel. A stateless vessel has no right of protection, normally afforded to ships under a national flag…including immunity from interference by others states (UNCLOS Articles 92, 94, 110 and customary Maritime law). A state may stop, board, search, seize or disable a stateless vessel under UNCLOS Article 110…. War crimes require an armed conflict.” There is none. You cannot commit a war crime outside an armed conflict.
Also, “Even lethal force is lawful when a vessel refuses lawful boarding, attempts to flee, poses a threat or engages in an illicit activity such as piracy, or narcotic trafficking…. Sinking a stateless vessel is not prohibited by UNCLUS…. Many states routinely do this to drug smuggling vessels without it ever being treated as a war crime….” (X22 Reports, hereafter not cited, Ep. 3791b, Dec. 8, 2025, 36:19). Flagless boats sunk in international waters outside Venezuela, by order of Trump, are not Venezuelan boats, they are stateless boats. Trump has not violated international law or maritime practice.
Ex-Maduro Intelligence Chief, turned whistleblower, says Maduro exported gangs into the United States during the Biden’s border collapse, “and has run two decades of espionage against America.” Hugo ‘Elpollo’ Carvajal “warns that Maduro’s regime is not a government, but a transnational criminal cartel. He reveals Trend de Agua operatives were sent into the US during Biden’s border breakdown. He says the regime treats narcotics as a strategic weapon against Americans and insists Trump was correct to confront Maduro.” (AMUSE, Ep. 3789b, Dec. 4, 2025, 24:36). Moreover, he “exposed that the CIA allegedly out sources it’s election, rigging software and voting machines [Smartmatic] to multiple countries, including the US, from Venezuela” (The SCIF, Ep. 3789b, Dec. 4, 2025, 25:33).
Intel tells us Venezuela is run by the drug cartels, not really Maduro. Rumor has it that Maduro may yet turn states evidence by“releasing PROOF that Biden asked the Venezuelan government to ship Trend de Aragua drug gangs into the United States” (Tik Tok, Ep. 3787b, Dec. 2, 2025, 24:36). If that comes forth, Biden may have to stand trial for treason. It’s conceivable, but a very long shot, that Maduro may authorize Trump to bomb Venezuelan cartel’s. And certainly, if asked, we will oblige and, with permission, it would not be attacking Venezuela—still not likely!
Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution and a syndicated columnist on current events. Read his weekly columns at www.LibertyUnderFire.org Column #850
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