at least 43 ‘narcos’ dead and the largest aircraft carrier off Caracas

The ship joins two B-1 bombers that crossed Venezuelan airspace, approaching within ten kilometers of the Los Testigos archipelago before returning to their bases, according to flight data from open sources.

These are the last two steps by Trump, who had sent B-52 bombers, F-35 fighters and MH-6 and MH-60 helicopters, in addition to eight warships, a nuclear submarine and some ten thousand troops who have moved a few kilometers from the territorial waters of the Latin American country.

The pressure is for now at sea, where the US Army sank this Friday another alleged drug boat in the waters of the Caribbean Sea “operated by the Tren de Aragua”, in an operation where six “narco-terrorists” died, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

In total, at least 43 alleged drug traffickers have died since the attacks against these skiffs began.

And it is that Trumphas declared that this military initiative could move to a new phase in which ground operations would be carried out, such as bombings to execute people linked to drug trafficking.

The president justifies these actions by considering them “a national security problem” in the United States, which is why he promised “a hard blow” to those he pointed out as responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths due to drug use in the country.

Although it is not mentioned in all the statements in this regard, the identification of the leadership of the Chavista Government, led by Madurowith the drug trafficking group known as the ‘Cartel of the Suns’ leaves a certain space of ambiguity for figures from the ruling party and the opposition to refer to a possible regime change plan: some with fear, others with hope.

Maria Corina Machadothe opposition leader recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, stated in a recorded speech at the World in Progress Barcelona 2025 forum that “freedom is near.”

In the words of Machado, who is in hiding in Venezuela, the Maduro regime is “weaker than ever,” which represents an opportunity to “move toward a final stage of peaceful transition to democracy.”

Maduro, on the defensive

For his part, Maduro has continued to order the mobilization of the Armed Forces and paramilitary militias in different states of the country to reject “the CIA coups d’état”, in reference to the authorization issued by Trump for the main US intelligence body to act in Venezuelan territory.

Without a communication channel, it has gone on the offensive, announcing the reserve of 5,000 Igla-S anti-aircraft missiles in response to flights increasingly closer to the Venezuelan coast by North American aircraft.

A Venezuelan political analyst maintains, on condition of anonymity, that US military operations “They seek a change of regime, although they deny it for reasons of internal politics, because it is not a narrative that fits well with the electorate”. In this way, initiatives against drug trafficking continue to be the banner under which the United States increases its military presence in the Caribbean and, as Trump anticipated, within Venezuelan territory.

According to this academic, “Trump publicly authorizes the CIA’s intelligence operations to make them part of the threat to the Venezuelan Government, an unprecedented gesture, although these already existed before.”

For the Trump Administration, Maduro “represents the regimes opposed to the interests of the United States due to their ties with China, Iran, Russia and other countries that compete with them in geopolitics, and leaving the Venezuelan regime functioning implies leaving them an open door, a beachhead for them to continue having influence in Latin America,” in the words of the analyst, who adds that the dynamic between the two countries consists of seeing which of The two powers cower first.

“For this game to work, Trump has no choice but to accelerate or lose credibility with Russia, China and Hamas, which represent more complicated conflicts in the face of which he has shown more restraint.”

No openness to negotiation

Before the United States cut diplomatic relations, the rhetoric of the Maduro Government had been oriented towards appeasement with the North American country. According to information from The New York Timesconcessions would have been offered that included oil and gold exploitation contracts and the reduction of business with China, Russia and Iran. The alleged approaches reported by the Miami Herald of the brothers Jorge and Delcy Rodríguezpresident of the National Assembly (Parliament) and vice president of the country, respectively, to propose a transitional government without Maduro have opened the debate on possible amnesties for members of the regime who collaborate with political change.

In the opinion of Juan José Monsantan international law lawyer with a long career in security and defense, “crime is negotiated in the United States if you help unravel criminal plots so as not to prolong trials, but without [los miembros del Gobierno chavista] participate in the refoundation of the republic.” However, he points out that “you cannot negotiate with those who have committed crimes against humanity and have trials pending in the International Criminal Court.”

Monsant adds that the US actions are preceded by “the usurpation of public power in Venezuela, in addition to a pending trial in the International Criminal Court for human rights violations, which changes the usual application of the principle of sovereignty.” “From a historical, legal, moral and conceptual point of view, it is justified as legitimate defense to eliminate a cartel that profits from drugs, human trafficking and murders,” he says.

However, he warns that a direct confrontation runs the risk of leading to a guerrilla war, especially due to the participation of paramilitary forces “trained in urban guerrilla warfare,” beyond the elderly militiamen who have appeared in media videos.

There are other hierarchies beyond the political figures of the Government, such as the drug trafficking cartels that operate within the country; paramilitary and terrorist organizations such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) and Hamas; and the presence of state representatives and companies from countries such as Russia and Iran. Although their respective wars in Ukraine and Israel have significantly limited their actual support capabilities, They do maintain technological, weapons and intelligence cooperation.

A source close to opposition groups points out that Chavismo has the Cuban and Russian intelligence structure that has allowed it to cut off numerous attempts at uprising in the Armed Forces, which has led to military purges. He also highlights that Machado’s team does not have the capacity to directly confront the Armed Forces and the Chavista paramilitaries, so it depends on what the US Administration decides.

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan population follows each new statement and movement, waiting for an outcome that could change the history of the country.