Washington, DC [US], November 22 (ANI): The United States carried out its largest military show of force near Venezuela just days before a crucial deadline under which Washington plans to designate President Nicolas Maduro and his allies as members of a foreign terrorist organization, CNN reported. Over several hours on Thursday, at least six American aircraft were spotted off the Venezuelan coast, including a B-52 strategic bomber, a supersonic F/A-18E fighter jet, and multiple reconnaissance planes.
The display comes as the US Department of State prepares to designate the Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), with the designation set to take effect on November 24. According to the State Department, the cartel is led by Maduro and other top officials of what Washington calls the “illegitimate Maduro regime.”
US officials say the group has infiltrated and corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary, while also supporting violent criminal organizations across the region.
The FTO label would allow President Donald Trump to impose additional sanctions, although legal experts note it does not directly authorize the use of lethal military force, CNN reported. However, senior Trump administration officials have argued that the designation could broaden military options for potential strikes inside Venezuela. “It gives more tools to our department to give options to the President,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday.
US Air Forces Southern Command described Thursday’s flights as a “bomber attack demo” intended to deter illicit trafficking. The F/A-18E jet launched from the USS Gerald Ford, which entered the Caribbean earlier this week. An RC-135 Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft was also seen flying repeated loops near Venezuela’s eastern border.
Despite mounting military pressure, Trump said on Friday that he expected to speak with Maduro “in the not-too-distant future.” “I can’t tell you what I’m going to tell him, but I have something very specific to say,” he told Fox News.
Earlier this week, Trump had signaled openness to diplomatic talks, though no public progress has been reported. Ric Grenell, a Trump special envoy, led earlier discussions with the Maduro regime, but the White House ended those talks last month as the US increased its military presence in the region, according to sources.
The planned Cartel de los Soles designation is among the most serious counterterrorism measures available to the State Department. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of leading the network.
The US military has steadily increased its operations near Venezuela since mid-October, flying B-52 and B-1 bombers closer to the Venezuelan coastline with each mission. Most flights have taken place north of Caracas and Isla Margarita, where Venezuelan forces recently conducted amphibious training exercises, CNN reported.
The escalation marks Washington’s latest effort to pressure Maduro ahead of Monday’s deadline, intensifying tensions in a region already experiencing weeks of military buildup.
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