US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will soon begin confronting Venezuelan drug trafficking “by land”, marking another major escalation in Washington’s increasingly aggressive approach toward Caracas. The statement comes as the US continues to deploy military assets across the Caribbean and Latin America amid accusations from Venezuela that Washington is preparing for military intervention.

Trump Warns Venezuela: Land Operations Are ‘Coming Soon’

Speaking to US military personnel in a Thanksgiving address, Trump said that US maritime operations targeting alleged drug-trafficking vessels have already disrupted the flow of narcotics into the United States.

According to Trump, recent US strikes on vessels moving through the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean have “stopped about 85 percent” of drugs headed toward the US by sea. He added that Washington will now shift its focus to stopping drug movement over land routes.

“We’ll be starting to stop them by land also,” Trump said. “We warned them. Stop sending poison to our country.”

The US president praised American air and naval forces, calling them “the backbone of America’s airpower,” and credited them with significantly reducing sea-based trafficking.

US Military Operations Kill Dozens in Regional Waters

Since September, the US military has carried out more than 20 strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific. At least 83 people have been killed, according to officials. Washington has repeatedly described the targeted vessels as drug-trafficking boats.

However, human rights groups, regional leaders, and legal experts have raised serious concerns. Many governments in Latin America say that the majority of those killed were local fishermen, not drug traffickers, and have denounced the attacks as extrajudicial killings.

The US government has not presented evidence linking the vessels to narcotics smuggling, fueling accusations that the operation is part of a broader strategy to pressure Venezuela.

Venezuela Accuses US of Plotting ‘Regime Change’

Venezuela has strongly rejected Washington’s claims. Officials in Caracas argue that the United States is using the “war on drugs” as a pretext to justify military action against President Nicolas Maduro and to provoke a political overthrow.

Trump has previously stated that Maduro and senior Venezuelan leaders are involved in narcotics trafficking—a charge Caracas has called fabricated and politically motivated.

Maduro Responds: Venezuela ‘Will Not Be Intimidated’

In a nationally broadcast speech on Thursday, President Maduro accused the United States of spreading “false and extravagant” allegations to create instability in the region. He said Venezuelans remain resolute and are prepared to defend their country.

“There is no threat that frightens our people,” Maduro said.
“For 17 weeks, foreign and imperialist forces have been threatening the stability of the Caribbean and South America under arguments that no one believes.”

Maduro said Venezuela is ready to defend its territory, seas, skies, and history, stressing that US actions will not intimidate the nation.

Regional Tensions Continue to Rise

The Biden administration’s stepped-up military presence—including an aircraft carrier strike group, advanced fighter jets, and thousands of personnel—has alarmed several Latin American nations. Critics argue that the US is pushing the region toward confrontation rather than cooperation.

As Washington moves toward land-based anti-trafficking operations, diplomatic pressure between the US and Venezuela is expected to intensify further.