Image Credentials: Image Title: Escalating Tensions as Trump Announces Planned Ground Action in Venezuela and Maduro Orders Military Readiness Source: (sora.openai) Date: November 2025. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (sora.openai) and does not depict a real-world scene.
By José Carlos Palma with Agencies
Tensions between Washington and Caracas intensified after President Donald Trump declared that the United States would soon begin targeting what he described as Venezuelan narcotraffickers through ground operations rather than limiting action to maritime routes. The announcement came during a televised Thanksgiving address to the United States Armed Forces in which Trump argued that Venezuela plays a central role in drug trafficking to the American market. Caracas has consistently rejected these accusations.
Trump stated that trafficking networks have shifted away from maritime transport due to recent United States operations in the Caribbean and the Pacific. According to the president, the United States will now begin detaining suspects involved in overland routes, and this shift will start very soon. He did not offer specific details regarding the nature or scope of the planned ground actions. Since September, United States forces have destroyed more than twenty vessels allegedly linked to trafficking operations, and these operations have resulted in more than eighty deaths. United Nations officials have referred to the deaths as extrajudicial executions.
The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, to the Caribbean in mid-November greatly increased pressure on the Venezuelan government. The carrier operates with a crew of four thousand personnel and seventy-five fighter aircraft. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro considers the deployment a direct attempt to remove him from power.
The United States has also designated the so-called Cartel of the Suns as a foreign terrorist organization. The existence of this organization remains disputed among experts, although Washington asserts that Maduro himself leads it. Before the deployment of United States forces in the Caribbean, the Department of Justice raised the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to fifty million dollars. Trump has also authorized covert operations by the Central Intelligence Agency in Venezuela and has not ruled out a military intervention. The president has stated that he plans to speak directly with Maduro.
Maduro and senior officials in Caracas insist that Trump is acting on false premises. According to Venezuelan authorities, only a small portion of Colombian-produced narcotics passes through Venezuelan territory, and the real purpose of Washington’s strategy is to seize control of Venezuela’s oil reserves, which are already affected by sanctions.
During a speech to military personnel, Maduro described what he called seventeen weeks of psychological warfare and urged the armed forces to remain calm, vigilant, and prepared in the face of United States military activity in the region. He asked Air Force members to stay ready to defend Venezuela’s sovereignty. Maduro spoke remotely during an event led by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López at the Maracay air base, which commemorated the one hundred and fifth anniversary of the Venezuelan Air Force. The ceremony included exercises simulating the interception of an aircraft and an invading force.
Padrino López criticized unnamed governments that he claimed have enabled imperial interests seeking to militarize the Caribbean. His comments coincided with a visit by United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to the Gerald R. Ford, where he praised service members for counter narcotics missions.
Recent days have seen frequent flights by United States fighter aircraft near the Venezuelan coast. The Dominican Republic authorized the United States to use airport facilities as part of its regional deployment, and Trinidad and Tobago recently hosted exercises by United States Marines. Meanwhile, Caracas has increased public exposure of its own anti-narcotics operations, which include the destruction of clandestine airstrips, laboratories, and small aircraft. In late October, Venezuelan forces announced the dismantling of two camps described as belonging to Colombian narcoterrorist groups.
Amid the military tensions, Venezuela restricted civil aviation activity after revoking the licenses of several major airlines, including TAP, Iberia, Turkish Airlines, Avianca, Latam Colombia, and Gol. These companies were accused of aligning themselves with what Caracas calls terrorist actions promoted by the United States. On Thursday, Maiquetia International Airport operated with a limited schedule of seven departures and seven arrivals. The International Air Transport Association urged Venezuela to reconsider the suspension.
Venezuela’s government also accused Washington of pressuring other countries to prevent commercial flights from reaching Caracas. During a session of the Russia-Venezuela High-Level Intergovernmental Commission, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez called for an increase in flights between Moscow and Caracas.
Last week, the United States Federal Aviation Administration advised airlines to exercise extreme caution when flying over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean. This warning triggered widespread cancellations of flights to the region. The Portuguese government responded to the suspension of TAP’s authorization by stating that it would not yield to threats. Iberia expressed hope that flights could resume once security conditions improve.
The situation continues to evolve rapidly, with both governments intensifying political and military rhetoric. Regional neighbors remain concerned about the possibility of further escalation.