The pressure is building against Maduro.
12 days after offering a multi-million-dollar reward for information leading to the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, the US is upping the pressure considerably.
Yesterday (18), it arose that three Arleigh Burke class destroyers armed with Aegis guided-missile are heading to the coast of Venezuela as part of an ‘effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels’.
This comes as President Donald J. Trump has vowed to use military force to disrupt Latin American drug cartels designated as ‘global terrorist organizations’.
BREAKING: President Trump and SecDef Pete Hegseth just sent out 3 United States Navy destroyers, joined by an attack submarine, near Venezuela to crack down on the cartels. The gloves are finally coming off. pic.twitter.com/nSG9RMlbVd
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 19, 2025
Reuters reported:
“The sources said the ships are the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham and the USS Sampson.
A separate U.S. official told Reuters that in total, about 4,000 sailors and Marines are expected to be committed to the Trump administration’s efforts in the southern Caribbean region.
That U.S. official, who was speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the additional commitment of military assets in the broader region would include several P-8 spy planes, warships and at least one attack submarine.”
The operation will last several months, patrolling international airspace and international waters.
Besides carrying out intelligence and surveillance operations, the ships may act as a ‘launching pad for targeted strikes’.
“Without referring to the warships, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday in an address that Venezuela will ‘defend our seas, our skies and our lands’. He alluded to what he called ‘the outlandish, bizarre threat of a declining empire’.”
“The Trump administration designated Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and other drug gangs, as well as Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua, as global terrorist organizations in February, as it stepped up immigration enforcement against alleged gang members.”
Estas tres bellezas se están acercando a las costas de Venezuela o ponte si ya no llegaron.
USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham y USS Sampson#VenezuelaLibre #MarCaribe #HayMaduro pic.twitter.com/hOjUZ6QfYn— Catg. (@CarlosTDrums) August 19, 2025
Read more:
BREAKING: DOJ Offers $50 Million Reward for Information Leading to Arrest of Venezuela’s Dictator Maduro
The post US Sends 3 Destroyers, 4,000 Troops to the Coast of Venezuela to Combat ‘Drug Threats’, Days After Offering $50 Million Reward for Maduro’s Arrest appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.