A concerning escalation has occurred in the waters off Venezuela’s eastern coast, where the U.S. Navy has launched a missile attack on three Venezuelan boats, obliterating them. While the U.S. has stated that smugglers were aboard these vessels, the coordinated nature of the strikes has ignited debate about President Trump’s true intentions. This is the second significant military action directed at Venezuela by the U.S. in a short span, raising alarms about the potential for broader conflict. The previous week saw U.S. commandos seize a Venezuelan commercial vessel. Recent U.S. military build-ups in the region and rhetoric about “land routes” are now being interpreted as signals of a potential ground invasion. This aggressive posture aligns with President Trump’s established foreign policy playbook, which has historically involved challenging adversaries and escalating disputes. Past actions against nations like North Korea and Iran, as well as trade disputes with China and sanctions on Russia, are cited as precedents. Venezuela, under President Maduro, faces a significant disparity in military power compared to the U.S., making any strong retaliatory response from Caracas potentially dangerous and possibly leading to a full-blown war.
