Trump threatens ground operations against “Venezuelan drug traffickers”

US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will “very soon” begin targeting “Venezuelan drug smugglers” in land operations, and not just at sea, which would exacerbate tensions with Caracas, which says the US campaign aims to change the regime.

In a speech he delivered before a US Air Force unit stationed in Texas, Trump said the day before yesterday, reading from prepared remarks: “In recent weeks, you have been working to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers, and there are a large number of them.”

It was not immediately clear what operations Trump was specifically referring to.

Since September, US forces have targeted more than 20 boats suspected of being used to smuggle drugs in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, killing at least 83 people.

Washington has also carried out displays of air power in the region in recent weeks, with B-52 and B-1B bombers flying near the coast of Venezuela.

Speaking about American efforts to stop drug smuggling, Trump said: “We have stopped approximately 85% of smuggling operations by sea.”

The US President confirmed, during a telephone conversation with the armed forces on the occasion of Thanksgiving: “You have probably noticed that people no longer want to transport drugs by sea, and we will begin preventing them from doing so by land as well,” adding: “The land route is easier, but that will begin very soon.”

Graduated compression

These statements come as the Trump administration continues to pressure Venezuela, even though the US President said in recent days that he is open to dialogue with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Last Monday, Washington announced the designation of a Venezuelan drug cartel as a foreign terrorist organization, while senior American military officials traveled to the region this week.

Also, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his wife spent the Thanksgiving holiday the day before yesterday with troops on the aircraft carrier.

The Pentagon published a video clip showing him serving turkey meals to the troops, expressing his gratitude to them for “deterring gangs” and “defending the American people.”

The previous day, the Dominican Republic, a US ally in the Caribbean, told Hegseth that Washington could use an air base and airport for counter-narcotics operations.

Flights

For his part, Maduro believes that the operation aims to overthrow him. He responded in defiance of the United States, and organized military training and mass demonstrations aimed at demonstrating strength and popular support for him.

The escalating tensions led to major disruptions to flights to and from Venezuela.

Last week, six airlines that represent the bulk of air travel in South America suspended their flights to Venezuela, after security warnings from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which indicated “a deteriorating security situation and increasing military activity in or around Venezuela.”

In response, Venezuela withdrew the licenses of the airlines that had suspended their flights: the Spanish “Iberia”, the Portuguese “TAP”, the Colombian “Avianca”, the Brazilian-Chilean “LATAM”, the Brazilian “GOL”, and the Turkish “Turkish Airlines”. She said that these companies would be punished “for their participation in acts of state terrorism promoted by the United States government by unilaterally suspending their commercial air operations.”

Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel accused Venezuela of a “disproportionate” response.

He said that Portugal “has no intention of canceling our flights to Venezuela, and it is clear that we did so only for security reasons.”

The suspension of flights for more than 8,000 passengers affected at least 40 different flights, according to the Venezuelan Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies.

A small number of Venezuelan companies, including Avior and Laser, continue to offer a limited number of flights to Spain and regional cities.