Trump could deploy troops to Venezuela

As the Trump administration comes under scrutiny over questionable targets in its so-called ‘drug cartel’ campaign, Trump is refusing to rule out U.S. military action in Venezuela, while the American military presence intensifies in the Caribbean with a major deployment of resources and personnel for large-scale exercises over the next few weeks.

Tensions in the region around Venezuela are running high, as neighbouring countries anxiously await the United States’ next move, with the U.S. military presence in the area at its highest level in nearly two decades and amounting to a near blockade of Venezuela.

During a round of questions from journalists inside the Oval Office, Trump was asked whether he would rule out sending U.S. troops to Venezuela and replied: «No, I don’t rule out that. I don’t rule out anything.»

Trump then framed possible military action as part of Washington’s wider duty in the region, adding: «We just have to take care of Venezuela.»

Aboard Air Force One a few days earlier, when asked whether he had decided on military action in Venezuela, Trump replied: «I can’t tell you what it would be, but I sort of have made up my mind.»

American forces pressed ahead with their campaign against what Washington describes as drug-smuggling boats, carrying out another strike over the weekend. According to regional reports, the latest operation, conducted late Saturday off Venezuela’s northern coast, destroyed several small vessels suspected of carrying narcotics.

With this new attack, at least 22 boats have now been hit and 83 people killed since the campaign began in September, a mounting toll that is deepening international unease over the true nature of the targets.

At a rally in Caracas on Saturday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro tried to dial down tensions with the United States by turning part of his speech into a peace appeal.

In front of hundreds of supporters, he accused Washington of seeking to «bombard and invade» Venezuela, then urged his audience to «do everything for peace, as John Lennon said» before briefly singing the refrain of «Imagine» on stage.