Trump threatens Maduro: US escalation in Venezuela against drug traffickers

Tensions run high between the United States and Caracas after American raids in the Caribbean Sea

US escalation in Venezuela – The United States has intensified pressure on Venezuela, with President Donald Trump sending ambiguous but increasingly harsh messages to Nicolas Maduro. After weeks of military raids in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific against alleged “narco-terrorists”, Washington has deployed an impressive naval and air force off the Venezuelan coast, fuelling the risk of escalation.

Trump and the US escalation in Venezuela

The American intervention, officially directed against drug cartels, has become the largest US military deployment in the region in ten years. Trump said he “doubts” there will be a war with Caracas but added that Maduro’s days are numbered, a contradiction that confirms his strategy of pressure for regime change in Venezuela.

Maduro’s accusations and the region’s response

The Venezuelan president has accused the United States of using the raids as a pretext to “impose regime change” and seize the country’s oil. The raids, which have left more than 65 people dead, have been strongly condemned by Latin American leaders, including Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, who spoke of a “violation of national sovereignty”.

Military strategy and the role of the Pentagon

In the last two months, Washington has sent over 10,000 military personnel, eight warships and a submarine to the Venezuelan coast, along with the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford. According to Chatham House expert Christopher Sabatini, the deployment serves to “instil fear in the Venezuelan military” and push them to abandon Maduro.

The change of policy in the White House

The new US escalation in Venezuela reflects an internal change in the White House: Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s hard line has prevailed over Richard Grenell’s conciliatory approach, who in the early months of the presidency had attempted a diplomatic approach with Caracas. Trump then doubled the bounty on Maduro from $25 million to $50 million and authorised clandestine CIA operations in the country.

Divisions in the opposition and international reactions

The Venezuelan opposition remains divided. Maria Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Trump ally, supports the use of force against Maduro, while Henrique Capriles calls for dialogue. According to a Panterra poll, 70% of Venezuelans are against Maduro, but only 16% support new negotiations.

US escalation in Venezuela: a calculated risk

Despite Washington’s rhetoric, analysts warn that any US escalation in Venezuela would carry enormous risks. Foreign Affairs points out that past attempts at regime change have ended in chaos and that even military success would not guarantee long-term stability.

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