What began on August 14, when Washington ordered air and naval forces into the southern Caribbean reportedly to combat drug cartels, has quickly evolved into one of the most significant U.S. military engagements in the region in decades.
Over the last two weeks, from August 28, the U.S. positioned a force of seven warships, a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, and roughly 4,500 personnel—including some 2,200 Marines off the coast of Venezuela.
On September 1, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the United States of orchestrating regime change, labeling the deployment as a blatant threat to his government.
The situation further escalated on September 2, when U.S. forces bombed a Venezuelan-flagged speedboat suspected of carrying drugs bound for the US., killing 11 individuals. President Trump released drone footage of the strike, while Venezuela questioned the clip’s authenticity. Legal experts and officials have also been questioning the lawfulness of the strike, raising concerns about potential violations of international law and norms regarding the use of lethal force.
By September 5, the U.S. reinforced its posture with the deployment of 10 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Puerto Rico, enhancing aerial reach across the Caribbean. That same day, Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew dangerously close to a U.S. Navy destroyer, prompting U.S. officials to denounce the action as “provocative”. The following day, September 6, media reports revealed that U.S. officials were considering additional strikes targeting cartel operations inside Venezuela, suggesting the September 2 strike may not remain isolated.
Vice President JD Vance has publicly defended the strike as “the highest and best use” of U.S. military power and dismissed remarks labeling it a potential war crime. He said, “I don’t give a s— what you call it,” as reported by MSN.
Venezuela, in turn, announced heightened troop deployments along Caribbean corridors, raising the risk of further escalations. Some 25,000 troops are set to be deployed, up from the 10,000 that have been deployed in the states of Zulia and Tachira that border Colombia.
Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, offered strong support, declaring, “I have no sympathy for traffickers … the U.S. military should kill them all violently.” However, criticism quickly emerged from other sources: Barbados’ Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds and other CARICOM officials called for greater transparency and improved regional diplomatic coordination.
The unfolding U.S. military action takes place amid a long-standing border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the vast Essequibo territory (approximately 160,000 km²), rich in oil and gas. Tensions had already been elevated following an incursion by a Venezuelan coast guard vessel into Guyanese waters near the ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek Block, prompting Guyana to lodge formal protests and the U.S. to warn Venezuela against any attack on Guyanese sovereignty.
