Maduro Calls for Peace, Reaches Out to Trump Amidst Rising US military presence
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro publicly appealed for peace and offered to collaborate with US President Donald Trump on regional stability during a rally in Caracas. This overture comes as the United States substantially increases it’s military presence in the Caribbean, ostensibly to combat drug trafficking.
Maduro explicitly rejected further military conflict, stating, ”no more eternal wars, no more unjust wars, no more Libya, no more Afghanistan, long live peace.” He urged citizens of both Venezuela and the United States to “unite for the peace of the continent,” directly addressing the White House with a simple message: “Peace! peace!” (translated from Spanish).
The Venezuelan leader emphasized his government’s focus on domestic affairs,asserting they are not distracted by the “possibility of military intervention.” When questioned by CNN about fears of US aggression,Maduro responded,”We are busy with the peopel,governing with peace.”
This call for dialog occurs against a backdrop of escalating US military activity. Washington has deployed an aircraft carrier, numerous warships, combat aircraft, and approximately 15,000 marines to the Caribbean.the stated objective is to disrupt drug trafficking, with the US government accusing Maduro’s governance of involvement with the “Cartel of the Suns,” which the US has designated a terrorist organization.
US forces have reportedly conducted at least 20 attacks on vessels suspected of carrying narcotics in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in approximately 80 deaths. A recent incident, confirmed by the Pentagon on Thursday, involved the destruction of a boat and the deaths of its four occupants on Monday. CNN reports the Trump administration is considering strikes against drug trafficking facilities within Venezuela, though US officials have acknowledged a lack of clear legal justification for such actions and are exploring potential authorization strategies.
In response to the US military buildup, the Maduro government has mobilized both the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (approximately 123,000 troops) and its civilian militia. Maduro claims the militia numbers over eight million members, a figure disputed by some analysts who also question their level of training.
Further escalating the situation,US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the launch of ”Operation Southern Spear” on Thursday,stating via his X account that the mission aims to “defend our homeland,expel narcoterrorists from our hemisphere and protect our homeland from the drugs that are killing our people.” He affirmed, “The Western Hemisphere is the neighborhood of the United States, and we will protect it.”
