The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Tuesday that his administration will enter a new phase of its campaign against organized crime, centered in Venezuela: after halting the entry of drugs by sea, the focus will now turn to land routes of drug trafficking.
In statements from the White House, the president asserted that the naval operations of recent weeks had been effective: "We have absolutely no drugs entering our country by sea. Now it's time to look at the cartels," he stated.
Trump was emphatic in describing the recent developments:
“We had a lot of drugs coming in by water, and now there are no boats on the water. No boats, no fishing vessels, nothing. We attacked several boats, and since we did that, we have absolutely no drugs entering our country by sea, because it was lethal. And now we are going to look at the cartels. We are going to seriously monitor the cartels coming in by land,” he stated.
Additionally, on Tuesday, the president participated in a meeting in Quantico (Virginia) with generals and admirals, during which future operation possibilities were discussed.
Pentagon sources have confirmed to media outlets such as NBC News that among the options being considered is the use of armed drones to target criminal leaders and drug labs within Venezuela, although Trump has not yet given final authorization.
Climbing in the Caribbean
The shift towards land operations occurs after weeks of activities in the Caribbean. The United States has deployed more than 15 warships, nuclear submarines, F-35 fighters in Puerto Rico, and about 7,000 personnel, in the largest mobilization of this kind since the 1980s.
In this context, U.S. Southern Command has sunk at least three vessels coming from Venezuela, which it describes as strikes against drug trafficking. One of these incidents resulted in 11 deaths, attributed by Washington to the Tren de Aragua, designated as a terrorist organization.
Administration officials assert that Nicolás Maduro "has not done enough" to curb the flow of drugs, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has openly supported the possibility that regime change could be a desired outcome.
Maduro reinforces himself with a decree of "external commotion."
The response from Caracas was swift. Nicolás Maduro announced the activation of a decree of “state of external commotion”, a constitutional provision that grants him extraordinary powers in the event of an external threat.
The vice president Delcy Rodríguez specified that the decree would allow her to mobilize the Armed Forces, take control of strategic services such as the oil industry, and restrict certain rights in the event of an "aggression" from Washington.
Civil organizations, such as Acceso a la Justicia, warn that the measure paves the way for greater restrictions and authoritarian consolidation.
Cuba takes a step back
In the midst of the tension, the Cuban regime expressed its support for Maduro but ruled out going to war with its "historical enemy" for backing its main ally for two decades.
The Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío stated at the UN that Havana will provide "full political support" to Caracas, although he made it clear that there will be no military involvement. “Cuba will not go to war with the United States,” he noted.
The stance reflects the limits of the Havana-Caracas axis at a critical moment: while Maduro seeks to project regional resistance, his main allies seem to prefer diplomatic support over direct confrontation.
A region in suspense
The possibility that the United States may shift its offensive to Venezuelan territory raises international concerns. Experts warn that a drone attack within the country could reinforce the Chavista narrative of "defense of sovereignty" and intensify internal repression.
Trump, however, insists that his administration will use “all elements of American power” to stop what he calls the “deadly poison” reaching the streets of his country.
With the focus now on land routes, the campaign against drug trafficking threatens to open an unprecedented scenario: direct military operations within Venezuelan territory.
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