Trump is Notably Escalating Military Actions Against Venezuela

SadaNews - US officials announced that President Donald Trump has halted efforts to reach a diplomatic agreement with Venezuela, paving the way for a potential military escalation in the region, while Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro revealed that he has asked the Pope for help in maintaining peace in his country.

According to the New York Times, the Trump administration has prepared multiple military plans for escalation regarding Venezuela, and Trump has instructed his special envoy to cease all diplomatic communications with the Venezuelan government, confirming his readiness to use all American force to prevent drug trafficking.

Since last month, the US military has carried out four lethal strikes in the Caribbean, the latest of which occurred last Friday, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.

The US administration has informed Congress members that it is treating drug traffickers as illegal fighters, considering military force necessary to confront them, which opens the door for expanding operations without congressional approval. US warships have also been deployed in the Caribbean to combat drug trafficking.

For his part, Maduro revealed that a "local terrorist group" had planned to plant a bomb at the US embassy in Caracas, asserting that Venezuelan authorities informed Washington and provided all relevant information regarding the conspiracy.

Maduro noted that the embassy is considered American soil under the Geneva Conventions and international law, describing the operation as provocative.

Additionally, the President of the National Assembly in Venezuela, Jorge Rodriguez, confirmed the thwarting of extremists' attempts to plant explosives at the US embassy, pointing out that diplomatic relations between Washington and Caracas have been severed since 2019, with diplomatic representations limited to a few personnel.

In another context, Maduro expressed confidence that the Pope will help Venezuela maintain peace and stability, without disclosing the details of his message, while the United States continues to conduct operations against boats suspected of transporting drugs off the Venezuelan coast, a move Trump has described as part of an armed conflict with drug cartels, while Maduro reiterates that the American goal is to overthrow him.