Overview

• Three U.S. destroyers are operating in international waters off Venezuela as part of a stated anti-drug mission.
• White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is ready to use every element of American power and called Nicolás Maduro a narco-terrorist.
• U.S. media report Trump plans to send about 4,000 Marines in connection with the operation, which officials describe as interdiction-focused.
• Nicolás Maduro activated a special plan for more than 4.5 million militiamen, and recruitment centers across Venezuela drew long lines this weekend.
• U.S. authorities recently doubled the reward to $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s capture, while experts cited in reports view a direct invasion as unlikely.