A startling report by the Miami Herald has stirred global interest. The report claims that the US has resolved to strike military bases in Venezuela. These attacks could take place within hours or days, aimed at eliminating leaders of Venezuela's drug cartel. However, the Trump administration has completely denied such plans.
On October 31, the Miami Herald reported that the Trump administration has decided to strike within Venezuela. The bases in question are used by the 'Sun Cartel', believed to be involved in drug trafficking and linked to Maduro. The plan aims to store order by dismantling the cartel...
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Venezuelan military bases.
Sea ports involved in drug trafficking.
The attacks will be a coordinated air and naval operation aimed at the cartel leaders. US officials claim the cartel sends around 500 tons of cocaine yearly to Europe and the US. A source mentioned that Maduro's time is ticking, and some generals may be preparing to arrest him. On October 30, the Wall Street Journal reported a similar story but noted no final decision has been made.
This cartel is deeply embedded within Venezuela's military. The US has placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro (previously $25 million) and $25 million each on his associates Diosdado Cabello and Vladimir Padrino Lopez. US Attorney General Pam Bondi has labeled Maduro the 'cartel kingpin'.
Source: aajtak
The US has increased its military presence in the Caribbean Sea, ostensibly to halt drug trafficking, but reports suggest this could be pre-strike preparations. Since September 2025, the US has struck multiple times, killing 61 suspected traffickers. Now, ground attacks are mentioned. Deployment details show...
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Warships:
Eight naval warships have been deployed in the Caribbean, including six Arleigh Burke-class destroyers like the USS Gravely, USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney, and USS Roosevelt.
Source: aajtak
Other Ships:
The USS Iwo Jima (Amphibious Assault Ship), USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale (Amphibious Transport Dock), USS Newport News (Attack Submarine), a special operations vessel, Coast Guard cutters, and logistic ships. Three more ships, including the cruiser USS Normandy, are arriving with the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Group. There are over 10 warships in total.
Fighter Jets and Aircraft:
Ten F-35B fighter jets are stationed at Puerto Rico's Ceiba Air Base. The USS Gerald R. Ford harbors around 90 combat aircraft, including the Carrier Air Wing 8's strike, surveillance, and support planes.
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Other Planes:
AV-8B Harriers (ground attack), AH-1Z Vipers (helicopters), MV-22 Ospreys (tiltroter), P-8 reconnaissance planes, and MQ-9 Reaper drones for precision strikes.
This buildup increased since September. Experts say it’s suitable for limited strikes but a full invasion needs 30,000 troops, akin to the 1989 Panama invasion.
The Trump administration has rejected this report as false. On October 31, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated that anonymous sources lack credible information. Any announcement will come from Trump. President Trump, aboard Air Force One, clarified that no strike decision was made. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X stated that Miami Herald's sources misled them, calling it a fake story. Some reports suggest Trump might have scrapped the plan, though the deployment remains, raising suspicion.
The US has long pressured Maduro’s regime. In September 2025, the first airstrike killed 11 traffickers. Fourteen attacks have since taken 61 lives. Analysts link this cartel to the Tren de Aragua gang and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.
Venezuela's oil reserve is the largest globally, heightening tensions and oil prices. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado (Nobel Peace Prize laureate) warned Maduro that his time is running out.
Whether this is truth or rumor remains unclear. Many view it as a pretext for stopping drug trafficking, while others see it as a plot to topple Maduro’s government. Experts suggest limited strikes can escalate into major conflict. The world is watching the Caribbean closely.
