Overview
- The Pentagon has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford toward Caribbean waters to reinforce operations near Venezuela, adding to an existing regional buildup.
- U.S. forces have carried out ten strikes on small boats in the Caribbean and Pacific near Colombia that officials label narcotrafficking vessels, with fatalities reported.
- Washington has publicly raised the bounty for Nicolás Maduro to $50 million and designated the Cartel de los Soles a terrorist organization as pressure intensifies on Caracas.
- President Trump has acknowledged authorizing covert CIA operations in Venezuela, fueling assessments that the campaign seeks political change rather than large-scale interdiction.
- After Colombia’s president condemned the strikes as killings, the U.S. moved to cut financial aid and revoke visas for Gustavo Petro, his family, and officials, escalating regional tensions.