US Warship Arrives in Trinidad and Tobago, Close to Venezuela, Amid Tension Between Trump and Maduro

The USS Gravely destroyer, a warship from the United States, arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, a small archipelago located in front of Venezuela, at a time when American President Donald Trump is escalating pressure on Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro. The deployment of the powerful American naval force marks one of the highest tension moments in the region, amidst a campaign of sinkings of boats allegedly used by drug traffickers in international waters near Venezuela and Colombia.
The destroyer will remain docked in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, until next Thursday, during which a unit of American Marines will conduct joint training with the Armed Forces of the small Caribbean country.
The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, is a fervent supporter of Trump and since taking office, has adopted a virulent speech against Venezuelan immigration and crime in her country. Caracas, on the other hand, accuses the new Trinidadian government of serving Washington’s interests. Trump is considering attacking cocaine production facilities, as well as drug trafficking routes, within Venezuela, although he has not yet decided to move forward, three US officials told CNN on Saturday. In parallel, Washington announced the dispatch of aircraft carriers to waters in South America.
During his flight to Asia aboard Air Force One, Trump reiterated that the next phase of the anti-drug offensive will be on land. When asked by reporters which targets in Venezuela could be hit, he only replied: ‘We are almost stopping all drug entries by sea and we will soon stop all entries by land. You will see this beginning,’ said the president, adding that the anti-drug actions aim to ‘save lives and protect national security.’
Authorities stated that this increase in American forces in the region aims at both naval operations against suspicious vessels and providing options to Donald Trump in case he chooses actions on land. The Republican, it is worth remembering, also authorized the CIA to conduct secret operations in Venezuela. ‘There are plans on the table that the president is considering,’ a government official told CNN, adding that ‘[Trump] has not ruled out diplomacy.’ Recently, CNN reported that Trump was considering attacks within Venezuela as part of a strategy to weaken President Nicolás Maduro. Some Trump administration officials argue that the drug campaign can be used to pressure figures close to Maduro and cause rifts that lead to a regime change. They added, however, that the American president ‘is in no hurry’ to make a definitive decision. A newly released video shows Maduro, speaking in English, pleading for peace.