US President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has “sort of” made a decision regarding Venezuela‘s future. Meanwhile, escalating US military deployment across Latin America ignites widespread concern about a larger regional conflict. “I sort of made up my mind,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to his estate in Florida. “I can’t tell you what it is, but we made a lot of progress with Venezuela in terms of stopping drugs from pouring in,” Trump added.
Massive US Military Buildup
In recent weeks, Washington has deployed warships, fighter jets, and thousands of soldiers to the region. Furthermore, the US military launched strikes on 21 alleged drug-smuggling boats, reportedly killing at least 80 people. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, arrived in Latin America on Tuesday, with its goal involves helping the region counter ongoing drug trafficking operations.
However, Caracas fears the US military deployment actually conceals a plot for regime change. This deployment includes F-35 stealth warplanes sent to Puerto Rico and US Navy ships operating in the Caribbean.
CBS News reported on Wednesday that multiple sources confirmed senior military officials presented updated options to Trump. These options included potential land-based operations inside Venezuela, sources told the network.
However, on 2 November, Trump downplayed the prospect of a full-scale war with Venezuela. Nonetheless, he strongly insisted that the days of Nicolas Maduro, whom the US accuses of being a drug lord, were quickly coming to an end.
Regional Fears
Colombia’s first leftist president, Gustavo Petro, also alleged that the US deployment’s ultimate goal is to seize Venezuela’s massive oil wealth. Therefore, he warned, this deployment could destabilize the entire Latin American region.
Consequently, Venezuela has announced its own nationwide military deployment to counter the growing US naval presence off its Caribbean coast.
