WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is reportedly putting together a plan to potentially take military action against drug traffickers in Venezuela over the coming weeks. This marks a significant shift from their previous strategy, which primarily focused on targeting boat traffickers in the southern Caribbean.
Although President Trump hasn’t greenlit any specific plans yet, there’s growing anxiety that Nicolás Maduro, the strongman president of Venezuela, hasn’t effectively curbed the drug flow from his country to the US and beyond, according to a report from NBC News.
The preliminary plan suggests targeting leadership and utilizing drones to strike against cartel members and drug labs, as stated by sources familiar with the situation.
“We’ll see what happens,” Trump commented earlier this month when asked about a potential strike in Venezuela. “Venezuela sends us gang members, drug dealers, drugs; that’s not acceptable.”
The report has reached both the White House and the Pentagon for feedback.
Since September 2nd, Trump has called for at least three strikes against supposed Venezuelan drug vessels, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 individuals.
While the administration hasn’t offered clear public evidence of these boats transporting drugs, officials from the Dominican Republic claimed at a press conference that drugs were detected in the waters near one of the vessels following a strike.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to address the influx of illegal drugs entering the US.
Last month, the US government announced a $50 million reward for information that could lead to Maduro’s capture.
According to reports, Maduro has indicated through intermediaries that he might be open to negotiations with the US to stop the attacks.
Maduro has consistently denied any involvement in drug trafficking in his nation.
Since the recent attacks, the US has deployed at least eight ships and several F-35 fighter jets to the area, according to Pentagon statements.
Despite these military maneuvers, the US continues to work with Venezuela regarding deportations.
Once a country rich in both oil and potential, Venezuela faces harsh sanctions from the US. Recently, Maduro sent a letter to Trump pleading for dialogue, but White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt expressed skepticism.
“Honestly, I think there were many untruths repeated by Maduro in that letter, and our stance on Venezuela hasn’t changed,” Leavitt conveyed to reporters. “We view the Maduro administration as illegal and clearly show that the President is prepared to take any necessary actions to combat the illegal trafficking of harmful drugs originating from Venezuela.”
