US President Donald Trump signalled that he has already made up his mind about what Washington will do regarding Venezuela, at a moment when the United States has sharply expanded its military footprint across Latin America under a campaign it describes as counter-narcotics. The scale of the deployment, however, has triggered widespread fears of a broader confrontation.
During a briefing with reporters on his way to his Florida resort, Trump said: “I’ve sort of made my decision. I can’t tell you what it is, but we’ve made a lot of progress with Venezuela on stopping the flow of drugs.”
This statement comes as the Trump administration carries out maritime and aerial operations in the Caribbean and the Pacific, targeting boats it claims are used for drug trafficking. The US Navy has deployed major assets to the region, including the arrival of the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group, announced on Tuesday.
Hours earlier, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared the launch of a new military operation in Latin America called “Southern Spear”, emphasising that it is aimed at narcotics networks, while offering no additional details.
Over recent weeks, the United States has carried out strikes in international waters against around 20 vessels it alleges were transporting drugs. According to Washington’s own figures, at least 76 people were killed. No evidence has been provided that these boats were actually linked to narcotics trafficking.
The operations have sparked international criticism and fuelled concerns that the United States is seeking to pave the way for deeper military action designed to unseat Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
American broadcaster CBS News reported on Thursday that multiple sources confirmed US military leaders have presented Trump with “additional options” for potential action inside Venezuela, including airstrikes on Venezuelan territory.
In response, Venezuela announced that its armed forces have deployed “intensively” across the country to counter “American imperialism”. Caracas said it has activated a broad mix of land, air, naval and riverine units, missile systems, heavy weaponry, and military formations, as well as “Bolivarian militias” composed of civilians and former soldiers who reinforce the regular army and police.
The sharp increase in US operations, combined with expanded Venezuelan mobilisation, deepens fears that Latin America could be moving toward a dangerous military crisis reminiscent of past interventionist eras.
