Overview
- The designation takes effect Monday, with Washington alleging Nicolás Maduro leads the network, though experts describe it as a loose web of corrupt officials rather than a conventional cartel.
- The label does not itself authorize lethal force, but senior officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, say it offers “new options” for operations targeting Maduro’s assets.
- Under Operation Southern Spear, the U.S. has deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford and more than a dozen warships with roughly 15,000 personnel to the region.
- Since September, U.S. strikes on boats accused of drug trafficking have killed at least about 83 people in international waters, prompting legal and human-rights objections and demands for public evidence.
- Reuters and other outlets report planning for a new phase that could begin with covert CIA activity and options inside Venezuela, as polls show most Americans oppose a war and airlines cut flights following an FAA warning.