US Escalates Military Operations Near Venezuela Amid Drug Trafficking Claims

The Trump administration has significantly escalated military operations in the Caribbean and near Venezuela, deploying the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and conducting multiple airstrikes targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels. President Trump has authorized extrajudicial killings of alleged drug smugglers, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth comparing these efforts to the war on terror, and has indicated plans to expand attacks onto land in Venezuela. These actions have sparked condemnation from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who urges peace and denounces U.S. covert operations, while legal experts question the legitimacy of these strikes in international waters. The U.S. military maneuvers, including flights by B-1 Lancer bombers and reconnaissance aircraft near Venezuela, have increased regional tensions and prompted Venezuela to appeal to the United Nations Security Council. Critics warn that the escalating U.S. aggression risks a full-scale war with catastrophic consequences for Latin America and the U.S. working class, especially amid the controversial awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, known for supporting violent regime change tactics. Overall, the situation reflects a dangerous intensification of U.S. military and covert actions aimed at dismantling drug cartels but raising serious legal and humanitarian concerns.