The Built Up That Led to U.S. Strikes on Venezuela and Maduro’s Arrest

A timeline of events outlines a sharp escalation in U.S. actions against Venezuela, beginning in August with the deployment of three guided-missile destroyers off the Venezuelan coast and moving toward direct military engagement by early January.

The sequence includes the first reported U.S. strike on a vessel allegedly linked to drug trafficking, followed by Washington’s declaration that it was in an armed conflict with drug cartels.

Tensions intensified further with the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Caribbean under an operation known as “Southern Spear,” signaling a major show of force.

By late December, the United States reportedly carried out its first direct drone operation on Venezuelan territory.

The escalation culminated on January 3 with strikes on Caracas and other areas, alongside an announcement by President Donald Trump claiming the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife and their removal from the country, marking the most dramatic phase of the confrontation.