Trump Signals Talks with Maduro Amid U.S. Caribbean Military Buildup
Washington hints at renewed engagement while expanding regional militarization under “Operation Southern Spear”
United States, PUREWILAYAH.COM - US President Donald Trump indicated that Washington may initiate discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, even as U.S. military deployments escalate in the Caribbean Sea.
Speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach before boarding Air Force One, Trump stated, “We may be having some discussions with Maduro… They would like to talk.”
The comment came hours after Washington designated the Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), a move Trump said would enable the U.S. government to target infrastructure allegedly linked to Maduro’s administration.
“It allows us to do that, but we haven’t said we’re going to do that,” he added.
Trump also noted that he instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior officials to brief Congress on Washington’s counter-narcotics initiative, stressing that the U.S. is blocking drug flows “from Mexico and from Venezuela,” adding pointedly that his main concern was preventing leaks of classified information.
U.S. Expands Military Operations Across Caribbean and Pacific
Washington has intensified military activities across the region under expanded legal authorities following previous terrorism designations on several Mexican cartels. U.S. naval and air assets are operating widely in the Caribbean and the Pacific, targeting vessels Washington claims are involved in drug trafficking.
The deployment includes the USS Gerald Ford — the world’s largest aircraft carrier — now stationed in the Caribbean Sea, alongside Marine units, fighter and bomber aircraft, warships, submarines, and unmanned aerial systems.
According to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the operations are being executed under directives from U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth, who framed the campaign as an effort to dismantle networks Washington labels as threats to U.S. national security.
Operation Southern Spear: The New Front in Washington’s Pressure Campaign
As part of its wider offensive against Venezuela, Washington launched a new regional military operation, Operation Southern Spear, described by the Trump administration as an escalation of its “war on drugs.”
Critics argue the campaign serves as a façade for regime-change objectives and has already contributed to a sharp rise in regional tensions.
Hegseth stated that the Pentagon initiated the operation under Trump’s direct orders, claiming it would “secure our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people.”
Southern Command first outlined Operation Southern Spear in January, detailing the integration of advanced technologies — including long-dwell robotic surface vessels, small interceptor boats, and vertical take-off robotic air systems — into regional operations.
The U.S. campaign began in September with a strike on a Venezuelan speedboat and expanded to the Eastern Pacific by late October. Since then, at least 21 attacks have been launched, resulting in 82 reported deaths.
As the militarization of the Caribbean and Latin America deepens, Washington’s actions have fueled concerns about an impending confrontation with Venezuela, even as Trump publicly signals potential diplomatic engagement. (PW)