Hour zero appears to have struck for Venezuela, as everything indicates that the United States not only remain unyielding on the issue of intervention, but are intensifying their presence around the country — and already, the Pentagon announced on 24 October the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Caribbean Sea, with the stated purpose of supporting operations against drug-trafficking networks in the region. However, the facts, reports and the substance behind the justification suggest that President Donald Trump is approaching a decision to begin strikes against Venezuela.
“The enhanced presence of U.S. forces in the area of responsibility of U.S. Southern Command will strengthen the United States’ ability to detect, monitor and interdict illegal activities and individuals who threaten the security and prosperity of the country and our security in the Western Hemisphere. These forces will bolster and increase existing capabilities to deter drug-trafficking and to disrupt and dismantle TCOs,” wrote spokesperson Sean Parnell on X.
Significant escalation
Tensions between Venezuela and the United States have escalated since August, when the Trump administration doubled the reward for the capture of Maduro to 50 million dollars on charges of drug trafficking, and subsequently deployed a naval force with thousands of Marines near the country’s coasts in a so-called “anti-drug-terrorism” operation.
The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group marks a significant escalation by the United States.
The aircraft carrier can support approximately 70 aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.
The carrier strike group also includes several destroyers armed with Tomahawk missiles, and the fact that it was berthed near the port of Split in Croatia, on 21 October, which is over 4,300 nautical miles from the Caribbean Sea, means it will take days for the group to reach a position suitable to launch any strikes.
Attacks on drug-smuggling boats
The announcement of the carrier’s deployment came just hours after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that the U.S. military struck another alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean.
Hegseth said on X that the strike killed the six men who were on the vessel and that it occurred in international waters. He noted that this was the first strike carried out at night.
“The vessel was known from our intelligence services to be involved in illegal drug trafficking, was crossing a known drug-trafficking route and was carrying drugs,” Hegseth said, linking the vessel to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
This latest strike was the tenth carried out by the Trump administration against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in recent weeks, with at least 43 victims so far. The initial strikes were carried out in the Caribbean Sea, but this week operations expanded into the Pacific Ocean.
It will strike Venezuelan territory — Maduro: “They are creating the new eternal war”
CNN reported, in the context of these developments, that Trump is considering plans to target cocaine production facilities and drug-trafficking routes inside Venezuela.
Reacting to the recent escalation by the United States, Maduro warned on 25 October that the Trump administration “is scheming a new eternal war.”
“The people of the United States know it, they are creating a new eternal war,” Maduro said.
“They promised they would never be involved in another war and now they are inventing a war that we will prevent. How? By mobilizing the peoples of Latin America.”
Maduro added that Venezuela is free from the production of coca leaf and accused the United States of targeting his country with excessive and unfounded accusations.
Everything points to an incoming attack
The deployment of a carrier strike group is a very costly matter.
This means that the United States appears to be approaching a decision to attack Venezuela.
Even the initiation of strikes against alleged drug-related targets could lead to a dangerous conflict.
Venezuela has already deployed its air defense systems.
This would be the first step toward a regime change in Caracas that some in the Trump administration are reportedly pushing for.
Trump’s position remains unclear, but Venezuelan President Maduro’s position is clear: “They want war? Here we are, let them dare.
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