Trump Opens Door to Talks With Maduro as U.S. Steps Up 'Southern Spear' Strikes at Sea

Overview

• U.S. Southern Command reported a Nov. 15 strike on a Pacific vessel that killed three, bringing public tallies to at least 83 deaths across 21 maritime actions since September without publicly released evidence for the targets.
• President Donald Trump said he could speak with Nicolás Maduro but reiterated that “nothing is off the table,” declining to rule out sending U.S. troops to Venezuela.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the Cartel de los Soles will be designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization on Nov. 24, with Washington alleging Maduro leads it and offering a $50 million reward for his capture.
• The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group is operating in the Caribbean and U.S. forces conducted exercises with Trinidad and Tobago as the expanded deployment continues under Operation Southern Spear.
• Maduro ordered permanent mobilization in six eastern states and condemned the U.S. posture as a direct threat while saying he is ready to talk “face to face.”