Nicolás Maduro (AP image)
The United States is preparing to launch a new phase of operations targeting Venezuela in the coming days, four US officials told Reuters, signalling a potential escalation in Washington’s efforts to challenge President Nicolás Maduro’s rule. The move comes as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Caracas, while expanding its military presence in the Caribbean, a buildup that has raised fresh concerns about a possible confrontation. According to two of the officials, covert operations are expected to be the first step of the new strategy. They said discussions include options that could aim to push Maduro from power. All officials spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the plans. Maduro, who has led Venezuela since 2013, has long accused the US of seeking to remove him from office. He maintains that citizens and the military are prepared to resist any foreign attempt to unseat him.A US military buildup near Venezuelan waters has been underway for months. The US Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford arrived in the region on November 16 with its strike group, joining at least seven other warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 fighter aircraft. Although the Pentagon says forces are focused on counter-narcotics missions, the scale of deployment is significantly larger than needed for such operations.Washington has accused Maduro of leading the Cartel de los Soles, which it claims smuggles drugs into the US. On Monday, the Trump administration plans to designate the group a foreign terrorist organization, according to Reuters. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently said the designation “brings a whole bunch of new options to the United States,” including potential strikes on Maduro’s assets and infrastructure.In anticipation of heightened risk, the US Federal Aviation Administration has warned airlines about a “potentially hazardous situation” over Venezuelan airspace, prompting multiple carriers to cancel flights. Since September, US troops have conducted at least 21 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing more than 80 people. These actions have been condemned by human-rights groups as illegal killings.Despite escalating pressure, President Trump has also expressed openness to negotiations. “At a certain period of time, I’ll be talking to him,” he told reporters at the White House when asked about speaking with Maduro. On a separate query about possible US strikes inside Mexico to combat drug cartels, Trump said: “It’s ok with me. Whatever we have to do to stop drugs… I’d be proud to do it.”Maduro has responded by saying he is ready for dialogue, stating he will meet “face to face” with anyone from the US who wants to talk. However, his government is also preparing for a potential US invasion, planning for “prolonged resistance” through guerrilla-style operations at more than 280 sites, according to sources cited by Reuters.The US military is vastly stronger than Venezuela’s, which continues to struggle with a collapse in training, equipment and food supplies for soldiers. In August, Washington doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million.Meanwhile, regional neighbors are attempting to avoid involvement. Trinidad and Tobago, located just 10 km from Venezuela has said it will not allow its territory to be used for any attack, despite US Marines conducting exercises there for the second time in a month.