U.S. president Donald Trump said on Sunday that he may open talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, even as Washington escalates its military campaign in the Caribbean. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Florida, Trump said “we may be having some discussions with Maduro,” but offered no details, adding only that “Venezuela would like to talk.”
The comments come as the US expands “Operation Southern Spear,” a series of strikes targeting vessels suspected of transporting drugs. A US operation in the eastern Pacific on Saturday killed four people, bringing the death toll from the campaign to 80.
The Pentagon also confirmed the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford and its carrier group in the Caribbean, marking the largest concentration of US naval power in the region in generations. The deployment adds to eight warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and F-35 jets already positioned nearby.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington will designate the “Cartel de los Soles” as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, alleging Maduro leads the group. Caracas has denied all accusations and says it is preparing for a possible confrontation.
