President Trump indicated on Sunday that Venezuelan officials are “eager to talk” – the same day the United States’ most advanced aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean Sea as tensions rise with the Nicolás Maduro-led South American nation.
“Maybe we’ll have some conversations with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out. They’re eager to talk,” the president told reporters.
“What does it mean? Just tell me, I don’t know,” he said when asked to explain.
“I’ll talk to everyone. We’ll see what happens.”
Earlier Sunday, the USS Gerald Ford and other warships from the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group entered the Caribbean Sea as part of Trump’s “directive to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the homeland,” the Navy said in a statement.
The operation has carried out at least 22 separate rocket attacks on boats believed to be smuggling drugs from Venezuela.
Trump’s comments and the arrival of the warships come three days after Maduro made a plea for “peace” in a interview with CNN.
“To unite for the peace of [the Americas]. No more endless wars. No more unjust wars. No more Libya. No more Afghanistan,” Maduro said.
Asked if he had a message for Trump, Maduro said: “Yes, peace. Yes, peace.”
The presence of the colossal 100,000-ton USS Ford marks the aggressive continuation of “Operation Southern Spear,” which includes nearly a dozen Navy ships and approximately 12,000 sailors and Marines. It marks the largest military presence in the Caribbean in 35 years.
As the ship arrived in the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. Army’s Southern Command shared a message X showing yet another suspected drug smuggling boat being blown up. The attack itself occurred Saturday in international waters off the eastern Pacific Ocean and killed three men on board, according to SOUTHCOM.
US attacks began in September in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific and have killed at least 86 people since then.
The US military is expanding its presence in other countries on the northern coast of South America.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that U.S. troops have been training in Panama and that the military will “reactivate our jungle school” to be “ready to respond to anything,” according to Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
Maduro accused the US government of “fabricating” a war against him, writing on Sunday that the “Venezuelan people are ready to defend their homeland against any criminal aggression.”
His government also claimed there is a “mass” mobilization of troops and civilians ready to defend against possible US attacks.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, in part because he was widely accused of stealing last year’s elections. Rubio labeled the Venezuelan government as a “transshipment organization” that likes to work with drug traffickers.
Rubio doubled down on Sunday, announcing that the State Department will designate Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization effective Nov. 24. He claimed that the cartel is led by Maduro and other high-ranking members of his government.
Maduro already faces serious charges of narcoterrorism in the US. Trump previously announced a reward of as much as $50 million for his arrest.
Trump has repeatedly justified the missile attacks by pointing out that the US is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels and that the victims on board the boats are all “narco-terrorists.”
Trump has also hinted at expanding the strikes, claiming the US would “stop the drugs coming in by land.”
With Postal Wires
#Trump #Venezuela #eager #talk #USs #advanced #aircraft #carrier #arrives #Caribbean