US to Launch New Phase of Operations in Venezuela, Says Reuters

The United States is about to launch a new phase of operations related to Venezuela in the coming days, said four American officials to Reuters. Reuters was unable to ascertain the exact timing or scope of the new operations, or whether U.S. President Donald Trump has made a final decision to act. Reports of an imminent action have proliferated in recent weeks as U.S. military troops have been deployed to the Caribbean amid worsening relations with Venezuela. Two of the American officials said that secret operations are likely to be the first part of the new action against Maduro. All four officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the impending U.S. action. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House. The CIA declined to comment. A senior government official on Saturday did not rule out any possibilities regarding Venezuela. ‘President Trump is prepared to use all resources of American power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice,’ said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Venezuelan Ministry of Communications did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Trump administration has been evaluating options related to Venezuela to combat what it describes as Maduro’s role in providing illegal drugs that have killed Americans. He denies any connection to drug trafficking. Maduro’s fall would be one of the options. Two American officials told Reuters that the options under consideration include an attempt to overthrow Maduro. Maduro, in power since 2013, contends that Trump seeks to remove him and that Venezuelan citizens and the military will resist any such attempt. He also characterizes U.S. actions as an attempt to take control of Venezuelan oil. An increase in military presence in the Caribbean has been ongoing for months, with Trump authorizing secret CIA operations in Venezuela. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned on Friday (21) major airlines about a ‘potentially dangerous situation’ when flying over Venezuela and urged them to take precautions. Three international airlines canceled flights departing from Venezuela on Saturday following the FAA alert. The United States plans, on Monday (24), to designate the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization for its alleged role in importing illegal drugs into the United States, authorities said. The Trump government has accused Maduro of leading the Cartel de los Soles, which he denies. In August, Washington doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million. But U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that the terrorist designation ‘brings a host of new options for the United States.’ Trump stated that the imminent designation would allow the United States to attack Maduro’s assets and infrastructure in Venezuela, but also indicated willingness to seek negotiations in hopes of a diplomatic solution. Possibility of dialogue between Trump and Maduro Maduro stated earlier this week that differences between countries should be resolved through diplomacy and that he is willing to hold face-to-face talks with anyone interested. Two American officials confirmed talks between Caracas and Washington. It is unclear whether these talks could impact the schedule or scale of potential American operations. The U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, arrived in the Caribbean on November 16th with its strike group, joining at least seven other warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 aircraft. American forces in the region have so far focused on counter-narcotics operations, although the firepower assembled is far more than needed for these operations. Since September, U.S. troops have carried out at least 21 attacks on suspected drug trafficking boats, killing at least 83 people, mostly in the Caribbean, although vessels in the Pacific Ocean have also been targeted. Human rights organizations have condemned the attacks as illegal extrajudicial executions of civilians, and some U.S. allies have expressed growing concern that Washington may be violating international law.