Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have intensified following a significant US naval buildup in the Southern Caribbean and surrounding waters, aimed at countering threats from Latin American drug cartels, US officials said.
Cracking down on drug trafficking has been a central priority for US President Donald Trump, forming part of a broader effort to secure the southern border and limit migration. While US Coast Guard and Navy ships regularly operate in the region, sources said this deployment is larger than usual.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity on Thursday, reported that seven US warships, along with a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, are already in the area or expected to arrive in the coming week. Key vessels include the USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale, carrying 4,500 service members, including 2,200 Marines. P-8 spy planes are also flying over international waters to gather intelligence, officials added.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned the move, describing it as a “massive propaganda operation to justify what the experts call kinetic action – meaning military intervention in a country which is a sovereign and independent country and is no threat to anyone.” The Venezuelan government lodged a complaint with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, accusing the US of violating the UN Charter.
The Pentagon has not publicly outlined the mission’s specifics, but the Trump administration has authorised the military to target drug cartels and criminal organisations, directing the Pentagon to prepare options.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Many Caribbean nations and many nations in the region have applauded the administration’s counter drug operations and efforts.” The administration earlier designated Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua as global terrorist organisations.
Maduro responded by calling for weekly civil defence training and deploying 15,000 troops to western border states to combat drug trafficking groups. He also reiterated accusations that foreign powers and the opposition, allegedly working with US entities, are attempting to destabilise Venezuela, a claim the opposition and US have consistently denied.
“Our diplomacy isn’t the diplomacy of cannons, of threats, because the world cannot be the world of 100 years ago,”Maduro added, emphasising Venezuela’s stance against US pressure.
The latest developments have heightened regional tensions, with both countries maintaining firm positions on security and sovereignty issues.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
