Venezuela Directly Confronts U.S. Naval Deployment... Risk of Conflict Escalates
- Input
- 2025-08-27 08:18:58
- Updated
- 2025-08-27 08:18:58
Venezuelan Government Orders Deployment of Warships in Response to U.S. Navy
Trump, who clashed with Venezuela from the first term, dispatches destroyers for drug crackdown
Increased possibility of military conflict due to strong responses from both sides
Trump, who clashed with Venezuela from the first term, dispatches destroyers for drug crackdown
Increased possibility of military conflict due to strong responses from both sides
[Financial News] As the U.S. government under Donald Trump dispatched destroyers around Venezuela to block drug trafficking, Venezuela also decided to advance its warships, escalating military tensions.
Vladimir Padrino, the Defense Minister of South America's Venezuela, said in a video speech posted on social media on the 26th (local time), "We are conducting territorial patrols by mobilizing a significant number of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for the defense of the homeland," and "ships will be deployed north of the territorial waters." On the same day, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also emphasized in a social media Telegram post that "the national defense system is operating 24 hours a day to respond to the imperialist threats of the United States and its far-right allies." He suggested a strong response, saying, "There is no rest, and no one can touch Venezuelan territory." According to local media El Universal, Maduro ordered the regular army and militias to strengthen security around the borders.
Earlier, foreign media reported on the 18th that the Trump administration sent three U.S. Navy destroyers to international waters near Venezuela to block drug cartel activities and deployed 4,000 troops. The deployed troops are expected to engage in intelligence gathering and surveillance missions for several months and perform long-range strike missions if necessary.
France's AFP news agency, citing sources, reported that the Trump administration decided to additionally deploy two more ships, including the nuclear-powered submarine USS Newport News (SSN-750), towards Venezuela.
The conflict between U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuela's Maduro worsened rapidly from 2019, during Trump's first term. At that time, Trump supported the interim president of the opposition as local parties were divided over Maduro's election fraud controversy and imposed various sanctions on the leftist Maduro. In 2020, during Trump's first term, the administration indicted Maduro and Maduro government officials on charges of narco-terrorism and offered large bounties.
This conflict continued into Trump's second term this year. The U.S. State Department designated drug trafficking organizations, including the Venezuela-based 'Trende Aragua (TdA)', as 'foreign terrorist organizations' in February, citing that they pose a threat to national security beyond traditional organized crime groups. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on the 7th of this month that the reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest, who is "one of the world's largest drug traffickers," would be doubled from $25 million to $50 million (approximately 69.7 billion won).
