The Trump administration is considering military strikes on drug cartel operations inside Venezuela. The move could increase tensions between Washington and Caracas.
U.S. officials say the strikes would target cartel infrastructure and members, including the Tren de Aragua gang. Washington recently labeled the group a foreign terrorist organization.
The talks come after a U.S. naval strike in the southern Caribbean last month destroyed a vessel leaving Venezuela and killed 11 people identified as narcoterrorists.
President Donald Trump has promised a tough stance on drug trafficking. Earlier this week, he said: “We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country, coming in for a long time. And these came out of Venezuela. We took it out.”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the U.S. of planning regime change. He deployed troops to the country’s coast and border with Colombia and vowed to resist any U.S. action.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the naval strike a “necessary response.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. forces would continue to strike anyone identified as a narcoterrorist.
The Tren de Aragua gang began in a Venezuelan prison and has spread across Latin America. It is involved in extortion, smuggling, and killings. The U.S. claims the group has ties to Maduro’s government.
Critics warn that strikes could worsen Venezuela’s crisis. The country is already facing economic collapse and mass migration, with more than 7.7 million people having fled in recent years.
Maduro’s government rejects U.S. claims, citing United Nations reports that show only a small amount of cocaine trafficking goes through Venezuela.
The U.S. has not yet made a final decision on the strikes.
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