U.S. Prepares New Phase of Venezuela Operations
The United States is set to initiate a new series of actions related to Venezuela in the coming days, according to four U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters. The Trump administration is intensifying its campaign of pressure against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
While the precise timing and full scope of these new operations remain undisclosed, and it is unclear if President Donald Trump has given final approval, reports of potential action have been circulating for weeks. This comes as the U.S. military has been deploying forces to the Caribbean region, reflecting a significant deterioration in relations with Venezuela.
Two of the officials indicated that covert operations are likely to form the initial part of this new action plan. All sources for this information requested anonymity due to the highly sensitive nature of the impending U.S. moves.
Military Buildup and Diplomatic Manoeuvres
The Pentagon redirected inquiries to the White House, and the CIA declined to comment. A senior administration official, speaking on Saturday, left all options on the table regarding Venezuela. The official stated that President Trump is prepared to use every element of American power to combat the flow of drugs into the United States and to bring those responsible to justice.
The Venezuelan Communications Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The Trump administration has been evaluating various options to counter what it describes as Maduro's involvement in supplying illegal drugs that have resulted in American deaths—an allegation Maduro consistently denies.
Options reportedly under consideration include attempts to overthrow Maduro, who has been in power since 2013. Maduro has accused Trump of seeking to remove him from office, asserting that both Venezuelan citizens and the military would resist any such attempt. He has characterized U.S. actions as an imperialist effort to seize control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
A substantial military presence has been assembling in the Caribbean for months, and President Trump has previously authorized covert CIA operations within Venezuela. The situation escalated further when the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning on Friday about a potentially hazardous situation for aircraft flying over Venezuelan airspace, urging extreme caution. In response, three international airlines cancelled their flights departing from Venezuela on Saturday.
Terrorist Designation and Potential Consequences
In a significant move, U.S. officials stated that on Monday, the United States plans to designate the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of leading this cartel, which it alleges plays a major role in importing illegal drugs into the U.S.—a charge Maduro also denies.
Washington had already doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million in August. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remarked last week that this terrorist designation opens up a whole new set of options for the United States.
President Trump has suggested that the designation would permit the U.S. to target Maduro's assets and infrastructure within Venezuela. However, he has also expressed a willingness to potentially engage in diplomatic talks to seek a peaceful resolution. For his part, Maduro stated earlier this week that he believes differences should be resolved through diplomacy and that he is open to face-to-face discussions.
Two U.S. officials acknowledged that conversations between Caracas and Washington have taken place, though it is uncertain if these talks will affect the timing or scale of any potential U.S. operations.
The U.S. Navy's most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with its strike group, arrived in the Caribbean on November 16. This powerful group joins at least seven other warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 fighter aircraft already in the region.
To date, U.S. forces have focused on counter-narcotics operations. Since September, U.S. troops have conducted at least 21 strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels, resulting in the deaths of at least 83 people, primarily in the Caribbean, with some operations also occurring in the Pacific Ocean.
These strikes have drawn condemnation from human rights groups, which label them as illegal extrajudicial killings of civilians. Some U.S. allies have also voiced growing concerns that Washington may be violating international law. The Trump administration defends the attacks as necessary measures to curb drug trafficking it claims kills millions of Americans, despite the fact that most drug overdose deaths in the U.S. are caused by fentanyl, which is largely manufactured in Mexico.
International organizations note that while some cocaine is moved through the Caribbean, the majority of the supply for North America travels via the Pacific route. The U.S. military vastly overshadows Venezuela's, which suffers from a lack of training, low morale due to poor wages, and deteriorating equipment.
Facing this reality, Maduro's government is reportedly considering alternative strategies in the event of a full-scale U.S. invasion. This includes a potential guerrilla-style response, referred to by the government as prolonged resistance. State television broadcasts have mentioned this approach, which would involve small military units stationed at over 280 locations carrying out acts of sabotage and employing other guerrilla tactics, according to Reuters sources and years-old planning documents.
