U.S. Confrontation With Venezuela
In the early morning of January 3, 2026, the United States launched large-scale military strikes on Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and surrounding areas, in an operation named “Absolute Resolve.” President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were transported to New York and arraigned on charges of narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns. Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty.
The operation, which involved Delta Force special operations troops and CIA intelligence support, marked a dramatic escalation of a monthslong pressure campaign that began in September 2025 with U.S. military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean. Amid the regime crisis, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president, authorities declared a national state of emergency, and security forces began patrolling the streets of Caracas.
Trump claimed that the United States would “run” Venezuela, but the administration has offered conflicting statements on the future of U.S. involvement in the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that the United States would enforce an oil quarantine and maintain a military presence in the region to pressure remaining Chavista officials to comply with U.S. demands. Trump has also rejected the idea of backing the democratic opposition led by María Corina Machado.
In justifying the intervention, Trump said U.S. firms would develop Venezuela’s vast oil reserves and recoup allegedly stolen oil money. However, experts note that rebuilding Venezuela’s oil infrastructure will require a long-term investment of billions of dollars.
Background
Hugo Chávez came to power in 1998 and leveraged Venezuela’s immense oil reserves and rising crude prices to provide subsidized goods and services to the Venezuelan people, cutting the extreme poverty rate by 15 percent. However, years of economic mismanagement and corruption under Chávez transformed the capably managed state-owned PDVSA oil company into a dysfunctional, corrupt, and bloated institution run by military and political allies that lacked experienced technicians. Chávez also deepened Venezuela’s dependence on oil exports, with fuel as a percentage of total exports rising from around 71 percent in 1998 to nearly 98 percent in 2013. The collapse of global oil prices in 2014 led to a rapid economic decline.
Following Chávez’s death in 2013, then–Vice President Nicolás Maduro assumed the presidency and was subsequently elected to the office. His government attempted to address the economic crisis by printing money. This policy pushed the country into years-long hyperinflation, which was on pace to hit ten million percent in 2019 and led to a de facto two-currency system in which the U.S. dollar is dominant. By 2014, large-scale anti-government protests erupted across the country. In 2015, voters expressed dissatisfaction by electing the first opposition-controlled National Assembly in two decades, setting the stage for a standoff between the legislature and Maduro.
Maduro was reelected to a second six-year term in May 2018, despite boycotts and accusations of fraud in a widely condemned election. Two weeks after Maduro was sworn in, the National Assembly declared his election illegitimate, and opposition leader Juan Guaidó announced that he would assume the office of interim president until free and fair elections could be held, in accordance with the succession rules outlined in the 1999 constitution. Guaidó was quickly recognized as interim president by the United States, Canada, most of the European Union, and the Organization of American States. However, Maduro retained the support of several major countries, including China, Cuba, Russia, and Turkey.
The resulting political standoff saw an increase in U.S. sanctions against the Maduro government, including targeting oil shipments to Cuba—Maduro has increasingly relied on Cuban military and intelligence support to stay in power—as well as threats of sanctions on third parties linked to Venezuela’s oil sector. Venezuela’s allies and partners have undercut U.S. efforts to exert pressure on the country. Russia has continued to support the Maduro government, sending Russian troops to Venezuela in March 2019 and helping the government evade sanctions on the oil industry. China has continued to back the Maduro government, offering to help rebuild the national power grid.
Amid a humanitarian crisis, thousands fled the country daily by early 2019, mostly on foot. Exacerbating Venezuela’s economic woes, its poorly maintained infrastructure led to nationwide blackouts in March 2019, leaving millions without power. Moreover, because the government has been unable to provide social services, Venezuelans face severe food and medicine shortages and the continuing spread of infectious diseases. In April 2019, after years of denying the existence of a humanitarian crisis and refusing to allow foreign aid to enter the country—calling aid shipments a political ploy by the United States—Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro allowed the entry of a shipment of emergency supplies from the Red Cross. However, the U.S. State Department maintains deep concerns regarding Maduro’s human rights record, over which he is being investigated for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the employment of armed gangs, known as colectivos, to suppress opposition.
Since the crisis escalated in 2015, an estimated eight million Venezuelans have fled the country, with 85 percent resettling in other Latin American countries, including at least three million in Colombia alone. Armed groups operating across the porous Colombia-Venezuela border have further worsened security conditions for migrants. The exodus has also caused a regional humanitarian crisis as neighboring governments have struggled to absorb refugees and asylum seekers and failed to provide access to services.
Despite the increased pressure and sanctions of early 2019, Maduro managed to maintain and even solidify his grip on power. Maduro suddenly implemented economic reforms, including ending price controls, allowing dollar transactions, slashing bolivar currency circulation, initiating privatizations, and starting to publish economic indicators after a four-year hiatus. In September 2021, Venezuela announced the launch of a new currency, dropping six zeros from its bolivar notes. While these drastic shifts in economic policy left Venezuelans struggling to secure bolivars and adapt in the short term, hyperinflation slightly subsided. The bolivar stabilized in early 2022, with annualized inflation briefly falling below 50 percent, though more than 60 percent of transactions were carried out in dollars. Inflation began to rise again in late 2022, and by 2023, consumer prices were tripling annually, an improvement from hyperinflation but still one of the highest inflation rates in the world.
Politically, international support for interim president Guaidó weakened, with the Biden administration following the lead of the Venezuelan opposition in revoking recognition of Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. Meanwhile, Maduro’s position somewhat recovered internationally. Western officials reopened dialogue, and he has benefited from the election of leaders who are more friendly to him in Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil.
After years of boycotts and challenges to maintaining unity, the opposition decided to contest the 2024 presidential election. Maria Corina Machado emerged as the most popular opposition figure, though the government barred her from holding public office. Edmundo González Urrutia became the opposition frontrunner. Maduro agreed to hold free and fair elections in 2024 in exchange for oil sanctions relief from the United States. But Maduro’s widespread electoral fraud, including blocking independent election observers and banning popular opposition candidates, led the United States to reimpose sanctions.
Despite strong evidence—including more than 80 percent of polling-station tally sheets collected independently by the opposition—indicating that opposition candidate Edmundo González won by a wide margin, the government-controlled National Electoral Council declared Nicolás Maduro the winner in a contested result. The United States, Canada, the European Union, and other countries and international bodies condemned the vote as neither free nor fair, with several recognizing González as president-elect. Meanwhile, Maduro proceeded with a third term, which the Supreme Court quickly certified.
Recent Developments
President Donald Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” campaign against Venezuela, accusing the country of trafficking vast amounts of cocaine into the United States. During Trump’s first term, his administration charged Maduro with leading the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), a loose criminal network tied to senior Venezuelan officials who have allegedly profited from drug trafficking and extortion. Since returning to office, the Trump administration has labeled both Cartel de los Soles and the Tren de Aragua gang as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). In August 2025, Trump signed a secret directive authorizing the Pentagon to use military force against select Latin American drug cartels. He also doubled the U.S. bounty on Maduro to $50 million, alleging the Venezuelan leader’s direct role in smuggling operations. Shortly afterward, the United States deployed a fleet of naval warships carrying more than 4,500 sailors and Marines toward Venezuelan waters.
On September 2, Trump announced that U.S. forces struck what he claimed was a Tren de Aragua boat trafficking cocaine to the United States, killing eleven people. In a break from precedent, the mission was conducted without Coast Guard involvement and relied solely on the Navy. The legal basis for the strike remains contested, as law enforcement officers are only authorized to use lethal force against individuals posing an imminent threat during maritime interdictions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the action, arguing that drug seizures alone have failed to deter cartels.
Rubio Gives Senate Testimony on Venezuela Policy
Rubio laid out U.S. plans to closely supervise part of Venezuela’s economy and oversee a gradual political transition in the country in Senate testimony; it constituted some of the most detailed public accounting of U.S. strategy in the country since its military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month (The Hill). Rubio downplayed the possibility of further U.S. military action given the high level of cooperation from interim authorities (Reuters). While Washington hopes to see free elections in Venezuela in the future, he said, a democratic transition would “take some time” (State). The United States continues to exert influence over Venezuela’s oil resources through a naval quarantine and is beginning to market the country’s oil for international sale; in the short term, authorities led by interim President Delcy Rodríguez will submit a monthly budget to Washington outlining how they intend to spend proceeds from the U.S.-directed sales, Rubio testified (NYT). Rubio met separately with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado later in the day; Machado said Venezuelans should be assured that change is on the way (Miami Herald).
Venezuela Prisoner Releases
The government released more than one hundred political prisoners over the weekend, rights group Foro Penal said (X). While Venezuela’s interim authorities vowed earlier this month that a “significant” number of detainees would be released following Maduro’s arrest, they have not published a total list; rights groups say hundreds remain detained in the country (AP).
New U.S. Envoy to Venezuela
Laura Dogu, a former advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a career diplomat, will be the new top U.S. envoy to the country, the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela announced; she will be based in Bogotá, Colombia (U.S. Embassy in Venezuela). Dogu has also served as U.S. ambassador in Honduras and Nicaragua (The Hill).
Colombia Targets Guerillas on Venezuelan Border
Colombian President Gustavo Petro told the New York Times that he rejected an offer this week to cut a deal with a guerilla and drug trafficking group based near the Venezuelan border, and instead ordered a military offensive against them (NYT). The move reverses Petro’s yearslong efforts to strike a peace deal with the group (CFR). Petro and Trump spoke on the phone last week after Trump threatened to bomb Colombia for allegedly harboring drug traffickers (NYT).
Opposition Leader Machado Visits White House
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado gave Donald Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal, praising his “action to secure a free Venezuela” in a framed message (X). Machado has called for Venezuela’s democratic opposition to assume leadership of the country following the United States’ ouster of former President Nicolás Maduro (X). The White House press secretary said that Trump is “committed to hopefully seeing elections in Venezuela one day,” without providing a timeline (White House). Greeting supporters outside the White House, Machado said, “we can count on President Trump” (AP).
U.S.-Venezuela Talks
Trump told reporters that he is “getting along very well” with Venezuela following a phone call with acting President Delcy Rodríguez (White House). The United States has already brokered its first sale of Venezuelan oil, a Department of Energy spokesperson confirmed to the New York Times (NYT).
Ongoing Political Prisoner Releases
The government has freed fifty-six political prisoners in the country since Venezuela’s top legislator announced the releases as a “peace” gesture on January 8, according to human rights group Foro Penal (X). Authorities claimed that it was more than 110 (Reuters). Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met with Pope Leo at the Vatican, ahead of her meeting with Trump later this week (Vatican News).
Trump Says He Canceled “Second Wave of Attacks”
Trump said he dropped the planned second attack due to the Venezuelan authorities’ cooperation, and praised the release of activists and journalists from prison in a social media post (Truth Social).
Venezuela Prisoner Releases
U.S. Seizes Two Oil Tankers Accused of Evading Blockade
After a two-week-long pursuit, the U.S. Coast Guard and military special forces intercepted a Russian-flagged vessel in the North Atlantic that attempted to evade the U.S. blockade on Venezuelan oil (CNN). A Russian lawmaker called the interception an act of piracy; the Russian Foreign Ministry called for the safe release of its citizens onboard the tanker (Reuters). Later, the U.S. military said it intercepted a “stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker” in the Caribbean (BBC). Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the United States intends to sell Venezuelan oil on the international market (ABC). The United States is “selectively” reducing sanctions to allow the transport and sale of Venezuelan oil on global markets, the Energy Department said in a statement; funds from those sales will go to U.S.-controlled accounts at “globally recognized banks” and will then be disbursed “for the benefit of the American people and the Venezuelan people” (Department of Energy). Unnamed sources told the Wall Street Journal the U.S. plans include some control of Venezuela’s state oil company (WSJ). Venezuela’s state oil company said in a statement that it was negotiating oil sales with the United States, but did not confirm the details announced by U.S. officials (PDVSA). Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described a three-phase plan for economic stabilization and political transition inside the country (Reuters). Rubio told reporters that after stabilizing Venezuela through oil sales, Washington would facilitate the reentry of international energy firms alongside a political “reconciliation” process in which opposition actors would be released from prison (NYT). A third “transition” phase would follow, though he did not elaborate (NPR). Rubio said the U.S. quarantine on Venezuelan oil—including today’s seizure of two tankers—gave Washington the leverage to carry out its plan (ABC). Trump told the New York Times that he expected U.S. oversight of Venezuela to last for years, and that the interim government there is “giving us everything that we feel is necessary” (NYT). Reactions from U.S. lawmakers briefed on the White House plans were divided along party lines (NYT). U.S. energy companies expressed skepticism about returning to Venezuela given the volatile policy environment, the Financial Times reported (FT).
Trump: Venezuela Will Transfer Thirty to Fifty Million Barrels of Sanctioned Oil
Trump wrote on social media that he will use money from its sale “to benefit the people” of both countries; he did not offer a timeline or other details (Truth Social). Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado praised the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro as “a huge step for humanity, freedom, and human dignity” and called for new elections in a Fox News interview (Fox News). Venezuela’s constitution mandates an election occur within thirty days if a president is “permanently unavailable” to serve, but the interim authorities have announced no such plans (AP). Trump earlier this week dismissed the possibility of Venezuelan elections within the next month (NBC).
Ousted Venezuelan Leader Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in U.S. Court
The U.S. Justice Department indicted Maduro, his wife and son, and other Venezuelan politicians on conspiracy, drug trafficking, and arms-related charges (DOJ). At Maduro’s arraignment, he argued that he was still the president of Venezuela as well as a prisoner of war, saying, “I’m innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country” (AP). Trump administration officials have said that Maduro’s capture was not an act of war but rather a law enforcement operation (ABC). Across town at the UN Security Council, France’s deputy ambassador said Maduro’s seizure violated the principle of peaceful dispute resolution, adding that violations of international law erode “the very foundation of the international order” (AP). U.S. allies such as Bahrain and Mexico said Maduro’s capture violated the UN charter, while the United Kingdom and Latvia were more measured, and Argentina defended the U.S. operation (NYT; UN). China and Russia harshly criticized it (BBC). U.S. Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz said Maduro was not Venezuela’s legitimate head of state following the disputed 2024 elections and that his capture was necessary to counter the flow of illegal drugs into the United States (UN). News of the raid caused consternation among some U.S. lawmakers, who administration officials briefed for two hours (Politico). Inside Venezuela, Maduro’s former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—who has been liaising with the Trump administration—was officially sworn in as acting president (The Atlantic). Her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, was reappointed president of Venezuela’s legislature (Reuters). Security forces detained at least fourteen journalists and media workers in Caracas before releasing thirteen, according to a Venezuelan press union (SNTP).
Rubio Clarifies Trump’s Claim U.S. Will “Run” Venezuela
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Trump meant Washington would use a continued oil quarantine as leverage to direct policy in the country (ABC). But Trump contradicted Rubio later in the day, saying “we’re in charge” (The Hill). Rubio also said that Maduro’s seizure did not require prior notification to Congress, as it was a law enforcement operation; while Rubio said that “we all wish” for democratic transition in Venezuela, he downplayed those expectations in the short term and said that Washington’s immediate focus was on stamping out drug trafficking and preventing Venezuela’s oil industry from enriching U.S. adversaries (NBC). Trump told The Atlantic that acting president Delcy Rodríguez would “pay a very big price” if she did not cooperate with the United States (The Atlantic). She shifted her previously assertive tone from yesterday, posting that Venezuela and the United States should work together “towards shared development” (Instagram).
United States Captures Nicolás Maduro
President Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States had carried out a “large-scale strike against Venezuela” overnight to capture President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores (Truth Social). At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard early in the morning in Caracas, with helicopters seen flying over the city and flashes and smoke appearing on the ground (AP). The U.S. bombings and raid in Caracas reportedly killed at least forty people, thirty-two of them Cuban security personnel (NYT; AP). U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Maduro and Flores had been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy (NYT). At a press conference later in the day, Trump announced that the United States would “run” Venezuela (White House). Venezuela’s Supreme Court named Delcy Rodríguez—formerly Maduro’s vice president—acting president (Reuters). She shared a statement denouncing U.S. “military aggression” (Instagram). Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, meanwhile, celebrated Maduro’s capture and called for 2024 opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González to assume power (X). China, the top buyer of Venezuelan oil, called for Maduro’s release, as did Russia (Chinese MoFA; Telegram).
Maduro Proposes Talks With United States
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said in a New Year’s interview that his country is willing to receive U.S. investment in its oil sector, coordinate in the fight against drug trafficking, and hold serious talks with the United States (Reuters).
CIA Conducts Drone Strike on Port Facility
The CIA carried out a drone strike on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela earlier this month, marking the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the United States began strikes in September, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who spoke to the Associated Press (AP). The strike targeted a remote dock that the United States believed was being used by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to store drugs and move them onto boats for onward shipping (CNN).
U.S. Pursuing Another Oil Tanker Off Venezuelan Coast
U.S. personnel are pursuing another vessel near Venezuela, making it the second ship targeted over the weekend as Washington increases pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (Reuters).
U.S. Intercepts Second Oil Tanker
The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the Centuries tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela; a White House spokeswoman said it was carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil, though the ship itself did not appear on a list of sanctioned vessels (NPR).
Trump Says War With Venezuela Not Ruled Out
In a phone interview with NBC News, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was leaving the possibility of war with Venezuela on the table; he declined to say whether ousting Maduro was his ultimate goal, saying, “He knows exactly what I want” (NBC). Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio decried the status quo with the Maduro government as “intolerable” as the Trump administration announced new sanctions on family members of the Venezuelan leader (CNN).
Trump Not Opposed to Notifying Congress Before Land Strikes
President Donald Trump said he “wouldn't mind” notifying Congress before authorizing a land attack targeting drug cartels in Venezuela, but insisted he doesn't have to, citing the possibility of leaks (CNN).
Responses to U.S. Threats Against Venezuela
Brazil and Mexico both offered to mediate tensions between the United States and Venezuela after Trump announced a naval blockade on sanctioned ships entering and leaving the South American country (Al Jazeera; Anadolu Agency). Venezuela requested that the UN Security Council hold an emergency meeting over recent U.S. actions (NYT). Some sanctioned oil vessels have avoided Venezuela following Trump’s threat (AP).
Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers
Trump said the naval blockade would apply to sanctioned oil tankers coming to and from Venezuela and characterized the country’s government as a foreign terrorist organization (NYT). His announcement, posted on social media, also claimed that Venezuela stole oil and land from the United States, called President Nicolás Maduro’s administration illegitimate, and said it was using stolen oil to finance activities like drug and human trafficking (Truth Social). In spite of Trump’s social media post, it is the State Department and not the White House that has the authority to legally designate Venezuela as a foreign terrorist organization; it has never done so for any foreign country, and did not immediately comment following Trump’s social media post (WaPo). Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez called Trump’s post a violation of international law and pledged to denounce it at the United Nations (Instagram).
U.S. Military Strikes Three More Boats
U.S. Southern Command said the strikes killed eight people across the three alleged drug smuggling boats (CBS). Meanwhile, President Trump declared illegal fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals to be weapons of mass destruction in an executive order; he directed agencies to probe and prosecute fentanyl trafficking, and to consider devoting military resources to the problem (White House).
New U.S. Sanctions Targeting Venezuela
The United States sanctioned three of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s family members, six shipping companies, and six ships, calling them part of a network that supports Venezuela’s “narco-terrorist regime” (Treasury). The move follows yesterday’s seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker off the country's coast (X).
United States Seizes Oil Tanker Near Venezuela
The tanker was being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on social media; Bondi wrote that the tanker had been sanctioned for multiple years due to its involvement in the illicit transport of oil for foreign terrorist organizations (X). Asked at a White House event what would happen to the oil aboard, U.S. President Donald Trump replied the United States would likely keep it (Reuters). The crew did not resist the seizure, which was carried out with no casualties, three unnamed U.S. officials told the New York Times; they said more seizures could occur in the coming weeks as part of an effort to strip Venezuela of its oil revenue (NYT). Venezuela’s government called the incident “an act of international piracy,” vowing to denounce it to international bodies (AP). Russian President Vladimir Putin called Maduro shortly after the strikes to express his support for the Venezuelan government and to commit to continued expansion of bilateral ties (Bloomberg). Separately, Ana Corina Sosa Machado, daughter of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo today on her mother’s behalf (NPR). She delivered a speech written by María Corina that celebrated the history of Venezuelan democracy and the struggle to regain it in recent years; she called democracy a “deliberate, personal choice” that “must be renewed every day” (Nobel Prize). Following uncertainty over whether María Corina—who has been in hiding—would travel to Oslo, the Nobel Institute confirmed earlier today she was safe and “will be with us in Oslo,” but would not attend the ceremony (Nobel Prize).
Push for New War Powers Resolution
Senators opposed to the U.S. campaign in Venezuela plan to reintroduce a war powers resolution restricting the White House’s actions, as President Donald Trump suggests he is considering a deployment of U.S. ground troops to the country (Politico). Additionally, Trump told Politico in an interview published Tuesday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s “days are numbered,” the latest indication that the United States hopes to oust him (Politico). Meanwhile, two U.S. Navy jets flew a half-hour training mission over the Gulf of Venezuela, remaining in international airspace but marking the closest U.S. warplanes have come to the country during the current pressure campaign (AP).
National Security Officials Brief Congress on Venezuela Campaign
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chair General Dan Caine, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will speak with top lawmakers as scrutiny intensifies over a follow-up strike on a suspected drug vessel with unarmed survivors (WaPo). Lawmakers are threatening to withhold travel funds from Hegseth if he refuses to release the video of the strike (BBC). Admiral Alvin Holsey, who will retire early as commander of U.S. Southern Command, also briefed lawmakers in a separate call (AP). Meanwhile, a Cuban official denied media reports last week that it had communicated with U.S. officials about the prospects of an overthrow of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, adding that Havana continues to reject the U.S. campaign (Reuters).
New National Security Strategy Emphasizes Western Hemisphere
Trump’s new strategy devotes the bulk of its attention to the Western Hemisphere, where it aims to reduce migration, fight crime, and preserve access to critical supply chains; it reasserts the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, rejecting external influence in the region (White House). Separately, Pentagon officials showed a closed-door meeting of lawmakers video footage of a controversial follow-up action on September 2 that followed an initial U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean (NYT). After the first strike killed nine passengers, two survivors were trying unsuccessfully to flip over a portion of the capsized boat when the second strike killed them, multiple media outlets reported (WaPo). Republican lawmakers praised the Pentagon’s actions, while Democrats said the video confirmed their concerns about the strike being improper (AP). Lawmakers examined an overview of the Pentagon directive governing U.S. strikes on the drug vessels, as they scrutinize the legality of the military campaign (PBS). Meanwhile, the U.S. military conducted another strike in the region today, targeting an alleged drug boat and killing four individuals (Reuters).
Talks With Maduro
Brazilian billionaire Joesley Batista flew to Caracas last week to try to persuade Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to step down, Bloomberg reported; the Trump administration was reportedly aware of Batista’s actions, though the Batista family holding company said he was not acting as a representative of any government (Bloomberg). Batista personally mediated bilateral tensions between Trump and the Brazilian government earlier this year (Reuters).
Trump’s Warning of Strikes
The United States will begin land strikes on alleged drug traffickers “very soon,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting (C-Span). He did not specify which country or armed group he was referring to, though his comments echoed his previous threats to target alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on land (CNN). Until now, Trump’s military campaign in Latin America has focused its firepower on sea targets (CFR). A bipartisan group of senators said they would move to force a vote to block military action if the Trump administration launches an attack inside Venezuela without congressional authorization (Reuters).
Trump Discusses Venezuela Policy With Advisors
There was no immediate policy announcement after the meeting, though for weeks U.S. officials and Trump himself have suggested their anti-drug campaign in the region could include military action inside Venezuela (CNN). Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused Washington of trying to oust him (Sky News). Citing four unnamed sources, Reuters reported that Trump held a call last month with Maduro that included discussion of a potential deal for Maduro to leave power, though Trump reportedly rejected the terms sought by Maduro (Reuters). Maduro—whose latest election was disputed—denounced U.S. policy as a form of colonialism at a Caracas rally attended by thousands (Al Jazeera). Meanwhile, the administration is increasingly fielding questions from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers over the killing of survivors of a boat strike on September 2 (Politico). The White House said that U.S. Navy Admiral Frank Mitchell Bradley conducted the strikes (White House). While the Pentagon’s manual on the law of war says that “orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal,” the White House press secretary both denied that Hegseth gave such an order and claimed that Bradley acted legally (DoD). U.S. military presence around Latin America now includes some fifteen thousand troops and the largest U.S. aircraft carrier (NPR).
Venezuelan Inquiry Into U.S. Strikes
Venezuela’s National Assembly said it will launch a parliamentary investigation into U.S. operations targeting vessels linked to alleged drug smuggling near Venezuelan waters, amid reports claiming survivors of a September strike were deliberately killed in a follow-up attack (Reuters). In the United States, bipartisan calls increased to examine U.S. military operations after these claims, with House and Senate armed services leaders opening formal inquiries (AP). Additionally, Trump told reporters that he had spoken directly to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, though he provided no further details (C-Span). The New York Times reported the conversation occurred the week of November 17 (NYT). When reporters asked whether his social media post yesterday—suggesting airlines should treat Venezuelan airspace as closed—implied imminent airstrikes, Trump responded that people should not “read anything into it” (CNN).
WaPo: Hegseth Authorized Killing of All Passengers on Caribbean Boat
The September 2 incident included more than one strike, and the Post report prompted pledges from lawmakers to investigate what happened (WaPo). Venezuelan authorities have accelerated intelligence activity in Sucre, the home state of many of the suspected drug traffickers killed in recent U.S. strikes; the Venezuelan government did not explain the aim of these tightened security measures, though families of those killed reported home searches and questioning from security agents (Reuters). Separately, Trinidad and Tobago’s prime minister acknowledged that U.S. Marines are operating at Tobago’s airport to improve surveillance infrastructure after previously saying no American troops remained in the country, which analysts suggest Washington may use as a base for operations against Venezuela (AP).
Trump Again Hints at Land Strikes
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States plans to move beyond maritime interdictions and begin targeting suspected drug networks operating on Venezuelan territory, as the U.S. regional military buildup continues (Reuters). Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the USS Gerald R. Ford, which remains in the Caribbean (Department of Defense).
U.S. Military Chief Visits Caribbean
General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, toured U.S. forces stationed in Puerto Rico and aboard a Navy warship amid an expanded regional U.S. footprint, as President Donald Trump considers escalating military action against Venezuela (AP). In Washington, the United States formally designated the Cartel de los Soles as a terror organization after indicating last week that it would do so, claiming the group is linked to senior Venezuelan officials; Caracas dismissed the move as fabricated and politically motivated (Reuters).
Six Airlines Indefinitely Suspend Flights to Venezuela
The president of the Airlines Association in Venezuela said the decision was made after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning Friday regarding potential military activity (AP). The FAA warned pilots of “heightened military activity in or around Venezuela” that could pose risks to aircraft “at all altitudes” (FAA). Washington has been moving military assets to the region for months (CFR). U.S. officials also said Washington is moving towards a new phase in its campaign against the Venezuelan government over the next few days, beginning with new, expanded covert measures, with the complete overthrow of President Nicolás Maduro remaining under consideration (Reuters).
U.S. War Game on Venezuela
U.S. officials conducted an exercise during Trump’s first term simulating what would happen if Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was deposed, the New York Times reported; it forecast a violent period in which rival political factions and guerrilla groups fought for control of the country (NYT). Maduro has said he believes the U.S. military buildup in Latin America aims to oust him (Reuters). Separately, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested that Washington’s labeling of the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, which it alleges is tied to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, opens new legal avenues for U.S. military action; the designation followed U.S. claims that the cartel collaborates with the Tren de Aragua gang to traffic drugs (Reuters).
Trump Signals Openness to Talks With Maduro
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington may initiate discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro even as the United States ramped up military pressure in the Caribbean and designated Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, accusing Maduro of heading it (Reuters). The U.S. military also announced that it conducted a new airstrike in the eastern Pacific, killing three alleged drug traffickers (CBS/AP). The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived in the Caribbean Sea, prompting further speculation about an increase in U.S. intervention (Politico).
White House Meetings on Venezuela
Senior U.S. officials met repeatedly this week to review potential military options in Venezuela, while U.S. President Donald Trump said he has “largely made up his mind” on next steps, as legal experts and allies question the legitimacy of regional military operations (Reuters).
Trump Administration Ramping up Counternarcotics Campaign in Latin America
Hegseth said that Operation Southern Spear aims to “remov[e] terrorists from our hemisphere” and defend the United States from drugs, while multiple outlets reported the Pentagon conducted its twentieth deadly strike in recent weeks on an alleged drug boat (X; CBS). Southern Spear will deploy robotic and autonomous systems to boost its counternarcotics efforts, Naval Commander Foster Edwards told the Miami Herald; the Navy said it would use robotic interceptor boats and surveillance aircraft (Miami Herald). Separately, the attorney general of Trinidad and Tobago told the Financial Times the United States planned to “intensify exercises” in his country (FT). The escalation comes as the family of a Colombian man killed in a recent U.S. boat strike prepares legal action, the New York Times reported; the family of Colombian man Alejandro Carranza, killed in one of the September strikes, maintains he was a fisherman who sometimes took jobs piloting boats for other people (NYT).
Rubio Rejects Claims Against U.S. Campaign in Venezuela
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio refuted European concerns about the campaign’s legality and rejected reports that Britain had suspended some intelligence cooperation with the United States over those concerns (Reuters).
U.S. Strikes in the Eastern Pacific Kill Six
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strike targeted two vessels linked to narcotics trafficking (Reuters). Meanwhile, Colombia vowed to suspend all intelligence-sharing with the United States over Trump’s boat strikes near South America (X). CNN and the Guardian reported the UK would also suspend some intelligence-sharing over the same concern; the UK controls several intelligence assets in the Caribbean (Guardian). Unnamed sources told CNN that British officials believe the Trump administration’s strikes violate international law (CNN). Amid Trump’s militarized anti-drug campaign, the Navy said that the United States’ largest aircraft carrier strike group had arrived in the region (U.S. Navy). Reuters reported that the Venezuelan government is preparing a guerrilla-style response to a possible U.S. military attack, employing antiquated Russian military equipment as its conventional military suffers from shortages in firepower and funding (Reuters).
Spanish Raid Against Tren de Aragua
Spanish authorities arrested thirteen people across multiple cities suspected of being members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua crime group; the gang is among those the Trump administration recently designated as terrorist organizations (AP). Many Venezuelans who have fled the country’s economic crisis in recent years have gone to Spain (Reuters).
War Powers Resolution Fails
The Senate voted down a proposed resolution that would have required congressional approval for military action against Venezuela; the 49-51 vote was largely along party lines, with only two Republicans breaking with the Trump administration (Politico). It was the second time in a month that a resolution to assert congressional power over the use of military force failed (NYT). U.S. President Donald Trump has said that weeks of deadly U.S. strikes on boats near South and Central America constitute an “armed conflict” against drug groups, but Congress has not authorized these military actions (CFR). The U.S. military struck an alleged drug-trafficking vessel for the seventeenth time on Thursday, killing three (AP).
Democratic Lawmakers Unsatisfied by Trump Administration’s Strike Justifications
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivered a closed-door briefing to allay concerns ahead of a Thursday Senate vote to prevent military action in Venezuela without Congressional authorization; Democratic lawmakers said the Trump administration still has not clarified the legal basis, scope, or objective of its widening campaign against alleged drug traffickers (NYT). Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch (R-ID) said the administration had kept lawmakers “fully advised” and “fully satisfied” (NPR).
U.S. Strike Kills Two People in Eastern Pacific
This brings the death toll from U.S. strikes near South America to at least sixty-six people in sixteen strikes (X). The New York Times reported that some White House advisors are pushing to oust Maduro and developing plans for potential military action; a White House spokesperson said Trump is targeting “narcoterrorists” and “anything else is speculation” (NYT).