Overview
- The State Department has formally designated the Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, citing links to senior Venezuelan officials.
- U.S. forces acknowledge roughly 21 strikes on suspected drug boats in international waters since September, with about 80 to 83 reported deaths and growing legal scrutiny.
- A major buildup places the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group and roughly 12,000 to 15,000 personnel in the region under Operation Southern Spear, as the FAA warns of flight risks and several airlines suspend routes.
- President Trump says he might speak with Nicolás Maduro while keeping force on the table, and reporting says covert CIA operations have been authorized as Washington plans a new phase.
- Maduro rallied supporters in Caracas, brandishing Simón Bolívar’s sword and vowing to defend Venezuela, as Cuba condemned the U.S. posture and U.S. military leaders met counterparts in Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic.