In recent weeks, there has been a significant increase in US military presence in the Caribbean, especially following President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend all diplomatic contacts with the government of Nicolás Maduro. This measure ends up severing political relations between Washington and Caracas, and comes at the same time as a new military and intelligence campaign near the Venezuelan coast. The US government is already positioning itself with warships and weapons as a strategy to exert pressure, along with political isolation and economic sanctions.
US commands operations in the Caribbean, and deaths at sea occur
These recent US movements were mentioned by sources to Newsweek, and according to that quote, the cruiser USS Lake Erie and special operations vessels such as the MV Ocean Trader are already positioned just a few kilometers from Venezuela. According to experts, these naval demonstrations are a pretext for counter-narcotics action.
The US itself has confirmed that US ships and submarines have carried out attacks against vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking, resulting in more than 20 deaths since September. Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of Defense, acknowledged these operations, saying the target was a “cartel boat.” Despite this, details about the victims and evidence supporting these US accusations have not been released.
These operations mark a series of drastic US actions against the Caribbean, the first in decades. The Trump administration is treating this as a “war on drugs.” However, some organizations and geopolitical experts who advocate for human rights consider these actions a dangerous unilateral use of military force.
What are the criticisms of this US move and the risks of war it poses?
At least 60 US organizations — including Oxfam America, Human Rights First, and the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns — have already sent a letter to Congress demanding a block on these operations. This official document warns of the risk of triggering an “unlimited war” with the region, in addition to denouncing the lack of a legal basis for the attacks.
Some prominent senators, such as Tim Kaine and Adam Schiff, have already introduced a resolution to restrict these actions by the US president, arguing that he is not acting legally, since he cannot order assassinations outside the country without congressional authorization. “If a president can choose who to kill without legislative approval, there are no real limits on the use of force,” Schiff stated.
Accusations of regime change
The Trump administration has made serious accusations against Caribbean countries of controlling drug trafficking and, in addition, has labeled Venezuelan groups as “terrorist organizations.” Some experts have warned that these actions are part of a regime change strategy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a leading proponent of this approach, described Maduro as “a criminal masquerading as president.”
Reports from the Freedom of the Press Foundation reveal, however, that U.S. intelligence agencies claim the Venezuelan government does not command criminal gang operations. Yet, Trump publicly stated that “if drug traffickers no longer come by sea, the United States can take the fight to dry land.”
Humanitarian impacts and international alert
Humanitarian organizations have expressed concern about this current conflict and warn that increased military action could exacerbate a social and migration crisis in places like Venezuela, where millions of people are already suffering from food and medicine shortages and high living costs.
The Venezuelan government, led by Maduro, on the other side of this conflict, claims to have prevented an alleged “false flag attack,” which was nothing more than a conflict targeting the US embassy in Caracas. Tensions between the US and Caribbean countries are growing, and on both sides, countries are preparing for a new phase of confrontation and conflict, a scenario that could redefine the stability of the entire Caribbean.