As tensions simmer in the Caribbean, the United States and Venezuela find themselves at a critical crossroads, with diplomacy, military maneuvers, and political intrigue all converging in a region already fraught with history. The arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group—America’s most advanced aircraft carrier and a symbol of overwhelming military might—off Venezuela’s coast has sent ripples through global capitals, sparking warnings from Russia and China and fueling speculation about Washington’s intentions toward President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
On November 20, 2025, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello took to the airwaves to denounce reports that President Maduro might step down in two years as part of a back-channel deal with the United States. “They’re falling for lies… they say [Maduro] offered them two more years and they believe this nonsense. They write it themselves and they believe it,” Cabello declared during his weekly television program, as reported by venezuelanalysis.com. He insisted, “Nothing, absolutely nothing can put the Bolivarian Revolution at risk.”
Cabello’s remarks came amid a surge in U.S. military deployments. On November 16, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group sailed into the Caribbean Sea, bolstered by the USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. In total, nearly a dozen warships and approximately 12,000 sailors and Marines now operate in the region—America’s largest naval presence in the Caribbean since the Cold War, according to Military.com. The Ford brings with it F-35C stealth fighters, advanced radars, and a full air wing, while the Iwo Jima group adds more than 2,200 Marines, MV-22 Ospreys, CH-53E helicopters, and landing craft.
This military buildup is part of Operation Southern Spear, announced by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on November 13. The stated mission: to “remove narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere” and halt the flow of drugs into the United States. The operation falls under U.S. Southern Command and Joint Task Force Southern Spear, with live-fire drills and joint exercises conducted alongside the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force from November 16 to 21. These drills, which included night operations and helicopter movements, took place just 6.9 miles from Venezuela’s coast, highlighting the proximity—and the stakes.
Yet the U.S. campaign has not been without controversy. Since August, U.S. forces have bombed 22 vessels they alleged were carrying drugs bound for American shores, resulting in 83 civilian deaths. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned these actions as “unacceptable” and called for an investigation. A report by NBC News revealed that Marine Colonel Paul Meagher, the senior judge advocate general at SOUTHCOM, had warned that such strikes could amount to “extrajudicial killings.” His objections were overruled by higher-ranking officials, including those at the Department of Justice. The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel later clarified that the legal justification for these maritime strikes did not extend to land operations, raising fresh legal and ethical questions about the scope and future of U.S. military engagement in the region.
Against this tense backdrop, President Donald Trump has publicly floated the possibility of renewed negotiations with Maduro. Speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach on November 17, Trump said, “We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk.” However, he offered few specifics, only adding that he had “sort of made up” his mind regarding Venezuela. According to Nexstar Media, questions have mounted over whether the U.S. is preparing for direct military action.
On the diplomatic front, Maduro has expressed cautious support for dialogue with Washington but remains steadfast in his defense of Venezuelan sovereignty. During a visit to Ojo de Agua near Caracas, he stated, “As for the imperialist North and its words and threats, that’s their business, along with their criminal ambitions to colonize and conquer our America. Where are we headed? Never again, ever, a colony. Never again, ever.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has escalated its pressure campaign. On November 16, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the so-called Cartel de los Soles—allegedly run by Maduro—would be designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization effective November 24. Despite these accusations, the U.S. has yet to produce court-tested evidence linking Caracas to international drug trafficking. The move has drawn sharp rebukes from both Russia and China. Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, told TASS news agency that Washington’s claims are “completely artificial” and warned that the U.S. is turning the Caribbean into a new point of tension. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning echoed these sentiments, calling the military buildup interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs and reaffirming support for Latin America as a “zone of peace.”
The political drama in Caracas is no less intense. On November 19, Cabello suggested that opposition leader María Corina Machado, a prominent critic of Maduro and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, may have fled to Norway ahead of the December 10 Nobel ceremony. Cabello accused media linked to Machado of preparing a “psychological war” campaign in Europe and ominously remarked, “Soon the dark chapter of Venezuelan politics called María Corina Machado will come to an end. We’re going to miss her.” According to Latin Times, Machado had previously told Norwegian media she could only travel when “Venezuela is free” due to direct threats against her life, but Nobel organizers confirmed her intention to attend the Oslo ceremony.
Cabello also addressed Trump’s comments on dialogue, welcoming diplomatic efforts but emphasizing, “Dialogue is good when there are contradictions… talking does not mean surrendering.” He stressed that if conflict arises, “the more experienced” members of the ruling party would take the frontline, not the country’s youth. “We are not calling for war,” he said, “but our people must be prepared and alert in every instance and in every way.”
As the world watches this high-stakes standoff, the region’s future remains uncertain. The U.S. continues its naval patrols and interdictions, now supported by unmanned systems for persistent monitoring, while Venezuela’s government insists it will not yield to foreign pressure or threats. The possibility of dialogue flickers amid the saber-rattling, but with both sides digging in, the outcome is anything but clear.
In a region where history has often been shaped by outside intervention and internal strife, the latest developments serve as a stark reminder: the Caribbean remains a flashpoint where global powers, local actors, and the hopes of millions converge.
