US troops head toward Venezuela amid Trump’s push against Maduro
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
The US has deployed B-1 supersonic bombers to the coast of Venezuela, strengthening its military presence in the Caribbean amid rising tensions with the Maduro regime, according to the Associated Press.
The Pentagon reported that the B-1s took off from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and flew over the Caribbean Sea toward the Venezuelan coast as part of routine training exercises. Meanwhile, a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the flights took place near Venezuela’s shores but did not specify whether the aircraft entered the country’s airspace.
The B-1 Lancer is capable of carrying the largest weapons payload of any US Air Force aircraft, including long-range cruise missiles.
At the same time, a US official speaking to journalists on condition of anonymity confirmed that the flights took place near Venezuela’s coast but did not specify whether the aircraft entered the country’s airspace.
US escalation in the Caribbean
US military activity in the region has intensified since September — that’s when American forces began striking vessels allegedly used for drug trafficking near Venezuelan waters, according to President Donald Trump. The operations sparked speculation that Washington might be preparing a larger-scale mission against the regime of Nicolás Maduro, whom the US accuses of narco-terrorism.
Last week, B-52 Stratofortress bombers also patrolled the region, escorted by Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighters based in Puerto Rico. The Pentagon described those flights as a bomber strike demonstration.
When reporters asked President Trump whether the B-1 flights were meant as a show of pressure on Venezuela, he replied:
“It’s false, but we’re not happy with Venezuela for a lot of reasons. Drugs being one of them.”
At present, eight US warships are deployed in the Caribbean Basin, along with a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, a squadron of F-35 fighters, and a submarine operating near the coast of South America.
US anti-narcotics campaign
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that US forces have already carried out nine airstrikes as part of the anti-narcotics campaign, killing at least 37 people. He compared these operations to the war on terror launched by the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks:
“Our message to these foreign terrorist organizations is we will treat you like we have treated al-Qaeda. We will find you, we will map your networks, we will hunt you down, and we will kill you.”
Analysts warn that the buildup of US military forces in the Caribbean could lead to a new phase of tension between Washington and Caracas and worsen the humanitarian situation in a region already suffering from Venezuela’s political crisis.
Donald Trump announced preparations for ground operations against drug trafficking in Venezuela.
US Southern Command, which oversees Latin America and the Caribbean, is forming a task force for drug interdiction in the Western Hemisphere. This group appears set to handle the situation in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, on October 6, President Trump cut off diplomatic contacts with Venezuela, ordering a halt to all negotiations with representatives of Maduro.
