U.S. Weighs Venezuela Strike Plans as Anti-Trafficking Raid Kills Two

Overview

• Two people were killed in a new U.S. strike on a suspected narcotics boat in the Eastern Pacific, with at least 67 deaths reported since September as the U.N. rights chief urged Washington to halt the attacks.
• President Trump has not authorized operations against Venezuela and has voiced reservations about risk and potential failure as senior aides press for Nicolás Maduro’s removal.
• The Pentagon’s planning spans airstrikes on units guarding Maduro, special-operations efforts to capture or kill him, and the seizure of airfields and oil infrastructure.
• Officials have sought Justice Department guidance to argue Maduro is part of the U.S.-designated Cartel de los Soles, potentially framing him as a lawful target without new congressional approval.
• U.S. forces have expanded their regional posture with roughly 10,000 personnel, B-52 and B-1 missions near Venezuela, F-35 deployments to Puerto Rico, and the carrier Gerald R. Ford expected in the Caribbean mid-month.