⚡️ This week, U.S. officials announced that Washington is preparing a new wave of operations focused on Venezuela, potentially targeting the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
Two U.S. sources say covert action could be the first step, with options on the table ranging up to "overthrowing the Maduro regime." A senior official added that "President Trump is prepared to use any form of U.S. force to stop the flow of drugs into the United States and bring all those responsible to justice."
Meanwhile, the U.S. military has beefed up its presence in the Caribbean, deploying the Navy's largest aircraft carrier, at least eight additional warships, and F-35 fighter jets. In recent months, U.S. forces have carried out at least 21 strikes on suspected drug-running boats, resulting in 83 reported deaths.
On the diplomatic front, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that designating the alleged "Cartel de los Soles" as a foreign terrorist organization makes it a crime to support the group. When asked if this move allows strikes on Maduro's assets, Trump said, "It allows us to do that, but we haven't said we're going to do that."
Amid these developments, the FAA warned airlines of heightened risks in Venezuelan airspace, prompting carriers like GOL, Avianca, LATAM, Iberia, TAP, and Caribbean Airlines to temporarily suspend flights to and from Venezuela. ✈️⚠️
President Maduro, who denies any ties to the cartel, has urged citizens to prepare for "prolonged resistance" and recently signed the Comprehensive Defense Command Law to integrate civilians, military personnel, and officials in case of an invasion.
With tensions at a boiling point, all eyes are on the next moves from Washington and Caracas. Stay tuned as this high-stakes saga unfolds. 🌎🔥
Reference(s):
U.S. launches new Venezuela operations as airlines suspend flights
cgtn.com
