President Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that his administration ‘may be having some discussions’ with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, even as the United States intensifies its military presence near Venezuela with the arrival of its most advanced aircraft carrier.
Trump did not elaborate on the nature of the potential discussions with Maduro, stating only that ‘Venezuela wants to talk.’ When questioned about what he meant by Maduro wanting to talk, Trump responded, ‘Just what it means. You tell me, I don’t know,’ adding, ‘I’ll talk to anybody after a moment’s notice. We’ll see what happens.’
As of yet, there has been no response from the Venezuelan government to Trump’s statements. Maduro, who faces U.S. accusations of narco-terrorism, has repeatedly claimed that the U.S. government is ‘fabricating a war’ against him.
Trump’s comments coincide with increased U.S. military activity in the Caribbean. The arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships to the region marks a significant escalation. While the Trump administration insists this is a counter-narcotics operation, it is widely viewed as an escalating pressure tactic against Maduro.
The Ford represents the largest concentration of American firepower in the region in decades. Its arrival brings ‘Operation Southern Spear’ to approximately 12 warships and nearly 12,000 sailors and marines.
The deployment coincides with the military announcing its latest deadly strike on a small vessel allegedly transporting drugs. The U.S. Southern Command released a video on platform X on Sunday purportedly showing the destruction of a boat in an attack that they claim occurred on Saturday in international waters of the eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of three men.
These U.S. attacks in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific regions since September have reportedly resulted in at least 83 deaths across 21 separate incidents. The U.S. Navy has stated that the carrier strike group, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, will soon participate in exercises with allied nations.
