President Donald Trump has expressed his openness to potentially ordering military strikes inside Mexico to combat drug trafficking and signaled a willingness to engage in discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. These statements come amid heightened tensions and a significant U.S. military presence in the Caribbean.
When asked about the possibility of launching strikes in Mexico to halt the flow of drugs into the U.S., President Trump stated, "It's okay with me. Whatever we have to do to stop drugs". He further added, "I didn't say I'm doing it, but I'd be proud to do it. Because we're going to save millions of lives by doing it". Trump mentioned he has been in contact with Mexican leaders, asserting they "know how I stand," characterizing drug lords as "killing our people" and equating it to "a war". While he said he would "probably" seek Congressional approval for military strikes in Mexico, he did not do so before authorizing strikes off the coast of Venezuela.
The U.S. has recently increased its military presence in the Caribbean, citing the need to combat drug traffickers operating from various Latin American countries, including Venezuela and Mexico. Since September, the U.S. has launched strikes against at least 22 alleged drug boats, resulting in at least 83 deaths, according to CBS News. The administration has also reportedly considered land strikes in Venezuela and recently deployed an advanced aircraft carrier to the Caribbean as a show of force.
In addition to the possibility of military action against drug operations, Trump also expressed a willingness to speak with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. "At a certain period of time, I'll be talking to him," Trump told reporters, while adding that Maduro "has not been good to the United States". When questioned about potentially deploying U.S. troops to Venezuela, Trump responded, "No I don't rule out that, I don't rule out anything". "We just have to take care of Venezuela," he added, accusing Venezuela of having "dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country from prisons".
Maduro has responded to Trump's statements, expressing his readiness for direct dialogue with U.S. officials. He affirmed his willingness to speak "face to face" with anyone in the United States "who wants to talk to Venezuela".
These developments occur amidst ongoing U.S. military exercises in Trinidad and Tobago, which have contributed to heightened regional tensions. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago has clarified that the U.S. has not requested the use of their territory to launch any attacks against Venezuela and emphasized that Trinidad and Tobago will not participate in any actions that could harm the Venezuelan people.
