The United States is poised to take more direct action in Venezuela, wiht President Trump announcing an impending ground operation targeting narcotics trafficking. This move represents a significant escalation in U.S. involvement in a country already facing deep political and economic crises, and raises concerns about regional stability. While framed as an anti-drug initiative, the operation fuels speculation about broader U.S. aims regarding the Maduro government, as tensions continue to mount in the region and accusations fly between Washington and Caracas. The planned operation follows a recent U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan supertanker, further complicating the already fraught relationship between the two nations.
Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Washington will soon launch a ground operation in Venezuela aimed at combating narcotics trafficking. The move signals a potential escalation of U.S. involvement in the South American nation, already grappling with political and economic turmoil.
“The operation will be starting very soon on the ground,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday, December 11, according to Reuters.
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The announcement follows weeks of statements from Trump regarding a potential ground operation targeting drug trafficking in Venezuela. This comes as the U.S. has increased its efforts to intercept vessels in the Caribbean suspected of carrying illegal narcotics.
Washington accuses Venezuela, and its President Nicolás Maduro, of facilitating the illegal trafficking of narcotics into the United States. Maduro has denied these allegations, claiming the U.S. is attempting to overthrow his government.
On Wednesday, December 10, Trump announced that the U.S. had seized a large supertanker off the coast of the South American country.
Maduro condemned the seizure as a “flagrant theft” and an act of “international piracy.”
Sources within the U.S. government have suggested that the anti-narcotics operations in the Caribbean may serve as a pretext for a broader U.S. objective: the removal of Maduro from power.
According to anonymous U.S. sources, the Trump administration is currently developing plans to address a potential power vacuum and stabilize Venezuela should Maduro be ousted. The development underscores growing regional tensions and the potential for further instability in the region.
(isa/bac)
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