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Statements From The American President Reveal Unprecedented Action In Venezuelan Territory, Increasing Pressure On Nicolás Maduro And Raising Questions About Washington’s Next Steps
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, confirmed this Monday (29) that American forces carried out the first ground attack on Venezuelan territory since the beginning of the pressure campaign against the government of Nicolás Maduro. According to Trump, the operation destroyed a “large facility” linked to drug trafficking, located on the coast of the South American country, last week.
In response to questions from journalists, Trump stated that there was “a large explosion in the area of the dock where they load the boats with drugs”. He then emphasized that the site “no longer exists”. However, despite the impact of the statement, the president avoided commenting on whether new attacks are being planned.
The information was reported by The New York Times, according to a report published after statements from members of the American government, and was officially confirmed by Trump during a press interview. Until then, references to the operation appeared indirectly and without confirmed location.
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Attack Was Mentioned Days Before, But Confirmation Only Came After Press Pressure
On Friday (26), Trump had already mentioned the action during an interview on WABC radio, from New York. On that occasion, however, he did not confirm that the attack had occurred in Venezuela. Therefore, the statement went almost unnoticed. Only on Sunday (28), The New York Times revealed that American authorities had claimed, under reservation, that the president was referring to a facility used by drug traffickers in Venezuelan territory.
During the interview with WABC, Trump said that the United States hit “a large factory or a large facility from where the boats depart”. He also stated that the location had been “eliminated” two days prior. Even so, at that moment, he did not directly mention Venezuela or provide additional details.
By this Monday, pressured by journalists, Trump confirmed that the attack occurred along the Venezuelan coast, although he avoided indicating the exact point. Furthermore, he refused to clarify whether the operation was conducted by the U.S. Armed Forces or by the CIA. The president only stated that the action was successful.
As of the last update of this report, the Pentagon had not officially commented on the attack. Similarly, the Venezuelan government did not comment on the operation.
Campaign Against Maduro Enters A New Phase With Action On Venezuelan Soil
The Confirmation Of The Attack marks a significant change in American strategy. Until then, the Trump administration had only disclosed actions in open seas, such as attacks on boats suspected of trafficking and seizure of oil tankers linked to the Venezuelan regime. This time, however, it is the first confirmed operation on Venezuelan territory.
The escalation occurs amid a pressure campaign initiated in August, when the United States raised the reward to US$ 50 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest. During the same period, Washington deployed a strong military apparatus to the Caribbean Sea, including fighters, warships, and an aircraft carrier.
Initially, the White House maintained that the military reinforcement aimed to combat international drug trafficking. However, over time, American officials began to state, under anonymity, that the ultimate goal would be to overthrow Maduro’s government.
In November, international media had already reported that the U.S. was about to initiate a new phase of operations related to Venezuela. At that time, two American officials told Reuters that covert actions would likely mark the beginning of this stage.
Trump and Maduro even spoke by phone in November, but, according to American press, the contacts ended without progress. According to reports, Maduro showed resistance to leaving power, which frustrated any attempts at understanding.
In recent weeks, in addition to the confirmed attack, American military forces seized Venezuelan oil tankers and imposed blockades on vessels subject to sanctions. Trump also accused Maduro of “stealing from the United States”, intensifying the rhetoric against the regime.
In light of this scenario, analysts warn that the confirmation of the ground attack may further elevate regional tension and open space for diplomatic or military retaliation, increasing the risk of instability in the Caribbean and South America.
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