Drones and Destroyers: Tensions Rise Between U.S. and Venezuela

The standoff between Washington and Caracas escalated this week as Venezuela deployed naval warships and surveillance drones in response to a U.S. military buildup off its coast.

The United States recently dispatched three destroyers and 4,000 Marines to the Caribbean, with additional ships, including a guided missile cruiser and a nuclear-powered submarine, expected to arrive soon.

U.S. officials say the operation is aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks, while the Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading the Cartel de los Soles, a cocaine-trafficking organization that Washington has designated a terrorist group.

The U.S. has doubled its bounty for Maduro’s capture to $50 million.

Maduro, who secured a third term in 2024 elections marred by fraud allegations, has denounced the buildup as an attempt at regime change.

His government petitioned the United Nations to demand an immediate halt to U.S. military deployments in the Caribbean. Analysts, however, downplay the likelihood of a U.S. invasion, interpreting the moves instead as pressure to force negotiations.