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U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Venezuela of playing a key role in the flow of narcotics into the United States, a charge Caracas vehemently denies. The accusation comes as Washington increases its military presence in the Caribbean Sea, deploying the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, to the region in mid-November. The escalating tensions reflect a deepening geopolitical struggle over drug trafficking and regional influence.
During a Thanksgiving address to the armed forces, Trump indicated a shift in strategy to combat the drug trade. “They’ve probably figured out people don’t want to deliver it by sea anymore, and we’re going to start grabbing them on land too,” he said. “The land route is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.”
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According to the U.S. government, military operations in the Caribbean and Pacific have resulted in the deaths of over 80 individuals and the destruction of more than 20 vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking, primarily originating from Venezuela, since September 1. Trump claimed these efforts have disrupted maritime drug trafficking by approximately 85 percent.
The operations have been carried out by a naval and land-based military detachment, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, which carries 4,000 personnel and 75 fighter aircraft. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has characterized the deployment as an attempt to destabilize his government.
Since September, U.S. forces have targeted over 20 suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific, resulting in at least 83 fatalities. The United Nations has described these actions as “extrajudicial killings.”
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On November 23, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, while aboard the USS Gerald Ford, praised U.S. service members involved in counter-narcotics missions, calling them “warriors who ensure security” both at home and “at sea, fighting the cartels.”
Washington has also increased pressure on Caracas by designating the *Cartel of the Suns* as a foreign terrorist organization on November 20. The existence of this organization remains unproven by many experts, though Washington alleges it is led by President Maduro. Prior to the troop deployment, the U.S. Department of Justice had increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million.
Trump has authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela and has not ruled out military intervention, also stating his willingness to speak with Maduro. The Venezuelan military has been placed on high alert in response to the increased U.S. presence.
Venezuela maintains that Trump is acting inappropriately and asserts that only five percent of drugs produced in Colombia, the world’s largest producer, transit through its territory. Maduro believes the military maneuvers are a ploy to overthrow him and seize the country’s oil reserves, which are already subject to embargoes and economic sanctions.
On November 23, Maduro addressed the military in a televised speech, stating the country had endured “17 weeks of psychological warfare” and urging the armed forces to remain “imperturbable” and “on alert” in the face of the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean. He called on the air force to be “alert, ready and willing” to defend Venezuela’s rights.
During an event led by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López and senior military commanders at the Maracay air base, Maduro stated, “I ask you to always be unwavering in your serenity, alert, ready and willing to defend our rights as a nation, as a free and sovereign homeland, and I know that you will never fail Venezuela, I know that Venezuela counts on you.”
Padrino López criticized governments that “lend themselves to the imperialist game to militarize the Caribbean” and called for them to cease actions against the will of their people. The statement came on the same day Secretary Hegseth visited the USS Gerald R. Ford to thank troops for confronting drug cartels.
Recent days have seen increased activity of U.S. fighter jets within dozens of kilometers of Venezuela’s coastline, according to aircraft tracking websites. The Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago have also authorized the U.S. to use their facilities as part of the deployment.
Caracas has increased media coverage of its own anti-narcotics operations, regularly displaying images of explosions at laboratories, destruction of clandestine landing strips, and the downing of small aircraft. In late October, the Venezuelan army announced the destruction of two camps described as belonging to “Colombian narco-terrorists” in the south of the country.
Internally, Venezuela experienced reduced civilian air traffic on November 23, with Caracas threatening to revoke the licenses of TAP, Iberia, Turkish Airlines, Avianca, Latam Colombia and Gol, accusing them of “joining terrorist acts” promoted by the U.S. The Maiquetia International Airport, serving Caracas, operated with a limited schedule, with only seven departures and seven arrivals. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged Venezuelan authorities to reconsider the flight concessions.
During the 19th Russia-Venezuela High-Level Intergovernmental Commission, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez accused the Trump administration of attempting to isolate Venezuela and pressuring other nations to prevent airlines from flying to Caracas, appealing for increased flights between Caracas and Moscow.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning on November 17 advising airlines to exercise “extreme caution” when flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean, leading to a cascade of flight cancellations. Portugal warned Venezuela it would not yield to threats after the revocation of TAP’s flight concession, while Iberia expressed hope to resume flights as soon as safety conditions are met.c/ agencies
