A report claimed the Trump administration considered launching strikes against military facilities in Venezuela. The alleged operation, described as potentially imminent, aimed to dismantle infrastructure linked to a drug-trafficking network accused of operating under Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Sources indicated the targets could be struck by air within days or hours, with the goal of disrupting the cartel’s leadership structure. U.S. officials estimated the organization exports approximately 500 tons of cocaine annually, primarily to Europe and the United States.
While details about specific personnel remained unclear, a source suggested Maduro’s position was increasingly precarious. “Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to,” the source said. The report also highlighted heightened U.S. rewards for information leading to Maduro’s capture, including a $50 million bounty—the largest ever offered—and $25 million rewards for key regime figures like Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López.
President Trump denied making a decision on the potential strike during a press briefing, despite prior claims of an impending operation. Tensions between Washington and Caracas have intensified following repeated U.S. military actions against suspected drug-trafficking vessels near Venezuela’s coast. Some lawmakers, including Republican Rand Paul, have raised questions about the legality of such operations.
