USA's Operation in Venezuela
US President Donald Trump announced the first known ground operation of the US in Venezuela, aimed at combating drug trafficking. The operation took place on Venezuelan territory, in an area that Trump described as 'the drug loading site'. According to the president, a strong explosion occurred during the operation in the dock area where drug traffickers were loading boats with drugs.
Trump noted that strikes were carried out not only on the boats but also on the territory where drug implementation took place.
'We hit all the boats, and now we have hit the territory... This is the zone of implementation. That’s where they implement, and it is no longer there'- said the US president. However, he refused to name specific individuals involved in this activity, stating: 'I don’t want to talk about that. I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was.'
Response to Maduro's Regime Actions
In response to the actions of Nicolas Maduro's regime, who is the president of Venezuela, the US announced its intention to impose 'maximum' sanctions. The US administration has developed several options for military actions against Maduro's regime. Among them:
- air strikes on military facilities
- capture or physical elimination of Maduro
- deployment of anti-terrorist forces to capture airports and oil fields
This operation may indicate an escalation of the conflict between the US and Venezuela, arising from political and economic crises in the country. The use of military actions and sanctions could lead to further escalation of the situation in the region, as well as impact the US's relations with other Latin American countries. Observers believe that such actions may provoke a negative reaction from Maduro and his supporters and may lead to new humanitarian crises in Venezuela.