Venezuela drills as USS Ford arrives; UK and Colombia curb intel sharing over U.S. boat strikes
Venezuela launched a nationwide military exercise — reportedly mobilizing roughly 200,000 troops and land, air and sea assets under "Plan Independencia 200" — as the U.S. carrier USS Gerald R. Ford strike group arrived in the Caribbean amid ongoing U.S. maritime strikes on suspected drug boats. The strikes (reported as 21 maritime missile strikes with at least 83 killed) have strained alliances — the U.K. and Colombia have curtailed intelligence sharing and other regional partners have condemned or distanced themselves while some, like the Dominican Republic, have boosted cooperation — even as U.S. officials defend the campaign and President Trump says he may still talk with Nicolás Maduro.
📌 Key Facts
- Venezuela launched a nationwide military exercise, “Plan Independencia 200,” mobilizing roughly 200,000 troops and land, air and sea assets as U.S. naval forces drew near; Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino accused the U.S. of 'executing' suspects at sea and vowed Venezuelans would defend the nation 'to the death'.
- The U.S. has positioned carrier strike and other forces in the Caribbean (including the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group) as part of Operation Southern Spear, a campaign of maritime missile strikes the U.S. frames as drug interdiction but that critics say also applies pressure on the Maduro regime.
- Axios reported at least 21 maritime missile strikes under Operation Southern Spear with at least 83 people killed; the U.S. has also increased deployments and personnel in the region (Gen. Dan Caine’s visit and up to ~10,000 U.S. personnel in Puerto Rico were noted).
- Allied reactions are mixed and strained: the U.K. reportedly suspended some intelligence sharing in response to the strikes (reporting that U.K. curtailed sharing), while Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro ordered a halt to intelligence sharing and publicly condemned the strikes — though U.S. officials (including Secretary of State Marco Rubio) disputed some reports about allied pullback. France condemned the strikes, Mexico summoned the U.S. ambassador, and Canada and the Netherlands said they are not participating.
- Some regional partners have stepped up cooperation: the Dominican Republic granted the U.S. access to restricted facilities (San Isidro Air Base, Las Américas Airport) for refueling and patrol support, expanding operational basing (e.g., KC-135 and C-130 support).
- U.S. law‑enforcement and military officials defended the strikes and broader campaign: the Coast Guard admiral said cocaine flow hasn’t shown a 'noticeable difference' yet, the DEA said the strikes have pushed cocaine prices up 30–45% per kilogram, and the USCG Cutter Stone recently offloaded nearly 50,000 pounds of cocaine (a record single‑cutter haul, valued at over $360 million).
- President Trump said he 'probably would talk to' Nicolás Maduro while not ruling out military action; the White House signaled no imminent land operation or targeted capture/kill of Maduro, and the administration’s posture is tied to moves such as the likely designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization.
- Domestic and congressional pushback has grown: a CBS/YouGov poll found most Americans oppose U.S. military action in Venezuela and want evidence that drugs were aboard struck vessels, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned that the administration was 'pushing the U.S. closer and closer to another costly foreign war' without congressional authorization.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2023, the drug overdose death rate for non-Hispanic Black people was 35.0 per 100,000, over 50% higher than the national average of 23.0 per 100,000.
In 2023, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native people had the highest drug overdose death rate of 65.0 per 100,000 population.
Reduce drug overdose deaths — infographic — Healthy People 2030
The cocaine that moves through Venezuela likely accounts for less than 10 percent of the supply of the drug that enters the United States.
Venezuela Doesn’t Produce Fentanyl. Trump Is Targeting It Anyway. — The New York Times
In 2023, 72,776 people died from fentanyl overdoses in the United States, accounting for the majority of the 105,007 total drug overdose deaths.
Overdose rates involving opioids and cocaine have risen sharply among Black individuals.
Unintentional Drug Overdoses Take a Toll Across the U.S. Unequally — Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
Venezuela Aims to Gobble Up Honduras
"The WSJ opinion warns that Venezuela, with Cuban backing, is actively seeking to subvert and absorb neighboring countries—Nicaragua already lost and Honduras vulnerable—using political infiltration and exploitation of drug-trafficking infrastructure, a threat the author says deserves more attention even as U.S. naval forces operate in the Caribbean."
📰 Sources (13)
Schumer accuses Trump of pushing US toward ‘foreign war’ with Venezuela
New information:
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Trump is pushing the U.S. 'closer and closer to another costly foreign war' with Venezuela and emphasized Congress has not authorized force.
- Schumer called for bipartisan pushback to reassert Congress’s constitutional power to declare war.
- Article reiterates Trump’s recent 'airspace closed' post and Thanksgiving remark that the U.S. will 'very soon' begin stopping suspected Venezuelan traffickers 'by land,' and notes Pete Hegseth’s public defense of the lethal maritime strikes.
Dominican Republic grants U.S. access to restricted areas for its fight against drug trafficking
New information:
- Contrasting earlier allied friction, the Dominican Republic publicly steps up cooperation by granting U.S. access to restricted areas for refueling and patrol support.
- Details specific host facilities (San Isidro Air Base, Las Américas International Airport) and capabilities (KC-135 aerial refueling, C-130 support), indicating expanded operational basing for the campaign.
Scoop: Trump ready to talk with Maduro over Venezuela drug strikes
New information:
- White House officials emphasize continued focus on boat strikes and signal no imminent land operation or targeted capture/kill of Maduro.
- New figures: 21 maritime missile strikes with at least 83 killed to date under Operation Southern Spear.
- Gen. Dan Caine’s role highlighted and his Monday visit to Puerto Rico with up to 10,000 U.S. personnel noted.
- Administration framing: Southern Spear is officially drug interdiction but also exerts regime‑change pressure.
CBS News poll finds most would oppose U.S. military action in Venezuela
New information:
- New CBS/YouGov polling shows most Americans oppose potential U.S. military action in Venezuela and doubt it would reduce drug inflows.
- Just over half approve of current U.S. maritime strikes on suspected drug boats, but demand evidence that drugs are present.
- Polling indicates only limited public awareness of the U.S. buildup, with about one in five having heard a lot about it.
Coast Guard admiral, DEA administrator defend strikes on alleged drug boats
New information:
- USCG Adm. Nathan Moore says Coast Guard has seen 'no noticeable difference' in cocaine flow, routes, pace, or purity despite U.S. strikes.
- DEA Administrator Terry Cole counters that strikes are raising cocaine prices 30%–45% per kilogram, including at first stops (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras).
- USCG Cutter Stone offloaded nearly 50,000 pounds of cocaine at Port Everglades, a record haul for a single cutter deployment, valued at over $360 million.
- Officials cite tighter intel integration and autonomous surveillance tools as factors in recent seizure surge.
- Cole dismisses concerns that strikes have weakened intelligence sharing with allies.
Boat strikes off Venezuela mark shift in 54-year US war on drugs
New information:
- The United Kingdom has suspended some intelligence-sharing with the U.S. in response to U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats near Venezuela.
- Colombia’s decertification as a U.S. drug-control partner was finalized last month, with an estimated loss of over $100 million per year in anti-trafficking and security funds (per Michael Weintraub, Universidad de los Andes).
- Expert assessment (Renata Keller) that potential U.S. military action inside Venezuela would mark a decisive break from the cooperative model of the drug war and likely provoke regional backlash.
Trump leaves military action against Venezuela on the table but floats possible talks
New information:
- Trump said he 'probably would talk to' Maduro but is not ruling out U.S. military action against Venezuela.
- Maduro responded hours later that he is open to dialogue with the Trump administration.
- Article underscores the U.S. carrier USS Gerald R. Ford’s presence and ongoing maritime strikes as the backdrop for Trump's remarks.
Trump floats possible talks with Venezuela but leaves military action on the table
New information:
- Trump said on Nov. 17 he "doesn’t rule out" military action against Venezuela and "probably would talk to" Nicolás Maduro.
- The White House posture is framed alongside the recent or impending designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization.
- PBS/AP reiterates the USS Gerald R. Ford CSG arrived in the Caribbean over the weekend as U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats continue.
Trump Says U.S. May Hold Talks With Venezuela’s Maduro
New information:
- President Trump said the U.S. may hold talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, adding “They would like to talk.”
- The comment came Sunday evening as questions mount in Congress about U.S. maritime strikes on suspected drug boats.
U.S. Boat Strikes Are Straining the Counterdrug Alliance
New information:
- France condemned the U.S. boat strikes as breaching international law.
- Mexico escalated concerns by summoning the U.S. ambassador.
- Canada and the Netherlands clarified they are not participating in the strikes.
Colombia's president calls Trump a 'barbarian' in rift over drug vessel strikes: report
New information:
- Gustavo Petro called President Trump a “barbarian” in an NBC News interview published Thursday.
- Petro said Colombia would not pass intelligence because it would be “collaborating with a crime against humanity.”
- A White House official told Fox News Digital that Trump views Petro as “an illegal drug leader” and defended the strikes under the President’s commander‑in‑chief and foreign‑relations authority.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied reports the U.K. curtailed intelligence sharing over the maritime strikes and said the counter‑drug operation continues.
- Rubio added the EU does not determine international law for U.S. national security decisions and that operations could stop if drug boats cease.
Venezuela launches huge military exercise as U.S. Navy draws near
New information:
- Venezuela launched a nationwide exercise involving roughly 200,000 troops and land, air and sea assets (referred to as 'Plan Independencia 200').
- Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino accused the U.S. of 'executing' suspects at sea and vowed Venezuelans would defend the nation 'to the death' if attacked.
- Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered a halt to Colombia’s intelligence sharing with the U.S. so long as the maritime missile strikes continue.