During a Thanksgiving call on Thursday, November 27th, U.S. President Donald Trump said that upcoming U.S. counter-narcotics efforts in Venezuela could include ground operations, though he gave no details. He noted an 85% drop in drug trafficking in monitored waters since September, with more than 20 vessels destroyed in the Caribbean and Pacific.
Speaking from Florida, Trump declared
They’ve realised sea routes are no longer safe, so we’ll start stopping them on land as well—and very soon.
The U.S. recently deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford and a large naval group to the Caribbean—the biggest U.S. presence there in decades—both to disrupt drug routes and to signal pressure on Venezuela, which Washington accuses of enabling drug cartels.
Tensions escalated further after the U.S. designated Venezuela’s alleged Cartel of the Suns as a terrorist organisation, linking it to President Nicolás Maduro. The move allows new sanctions, even though the cartel’s existence is disputed. Relations have been strained since the contested 2024 Venezuelan election, which the U.S. and several regional governments refused to recognise.
Maduro ordered the Venezuelan air force to remain on high alert, while Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López criticised governments supporting the U.S. military buildup. Trump has said he is open to talks with Maduro.
The crisis has also disrupted Venezuela’s air travel: the government revoked flight permissions for several major airlines, accusing them of supporting U.S. “terrorism.” As a result, Maiquetia International Airport operated with only a handful of flights on November 27th. Airlines and the International Air Transport Association urged Caracas to reconsider, warning that Venezuela risks further isolation from global air networks.
