After the seizure of three oil tankers from the South American country, the last one on December 20, conducted by special forces, the President of the United States Donald Trump publicly confirmed that U.S. forces struck a facility on Venezuelan territory, linked, according to his words, to drug trafficking by sea. The statements were made during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, held at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
“There was a big explosion in the port area where drug ships are loaded. We hit all the vessels and then the area itself,” Trump declared, without providing operational details or formally indicating the unit responsible for the action.
According to the New York Times, U.S. officials confirmed that the reference was to a drug processing or distribution facility, but without providing further official details.
No Official Confirmation, but Signs on the Ground
At the moment, there are no formal confirmations from the Pentagon or other U.S. government bodies. However, some local sources report explosions occurred in an industrial area near Maracaibo, consistent with what the American president described.
The Venezuelan authorities, as has happened in the past, have not released official statements on the incident.
The Pressure Strategy on Caracas
Trump's statements are part of a framework of increasing political, economic, and military pressure against the regime of Nicolás Maduro. In recent months, the U.S. administration has intensified counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea, claiming that:
- maritime trafficking has been reduced by 94%;
- the remaining 6% represents the current target of operations;
- intelligence activities are underway to target the networks still operational on Venezuelan territory.
“We know every route, every house, we know where they live,” Trump stated regarding the drug traffickers, suggesting a possible extension of operations also by land.
The Message to Maduro
The U.S. president has repeatedly reiterated his position towards Nicolás Maduro, who has a $50 million bounty offered by the United States.
“If he were smart, he would leave power. If he wants to play hard, it will be the last time,” Trump declared on December 22.
An Evolving Scenario
Although official confirmations are lacking, the words of the American president mark a further escalation of tension between Washington and Caracas. If confirmed, the attack would represent the first direct U.S. intervention on Venezuelan territory in the current phase of the crisis.
An action that, although presented as part of the war on drugs, could have significant geopolitical consequences for the entire Latin American region.
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