by Howard Altman at TWZ
The White House calls Venezuelan ruler Maduro a “narco-terrorist” and is deploying ships, planes and Marines in a major show of force.
U.S. President Donald Trump is deploying a flotilla of warships and other military assets to the waters off Venezuela in an operation aimed at Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The ominous move signals a growing frustration with the Venezuelan leader over the flow of illicit narcotics into the United States. Maduro remains a fugitive from a 2020 U.S. indictment on narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges.
Trump last week ordered at least three Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers, a submarine and other assets to head toward the South American nation, a source familiar with the operation confirmed to The War Zone on Wednesday. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that in addition to the destroyers, some 4,000 Marines aboard an Amphibious Ready Group made-up of three ships were also deploying to the region. If this ends up being the case, it would put a remarkably large, versatile, and powerful armada of U.S. ships off Venezuela’s coast.
While the exact nature of this movement remains unclear, it is part of Trump’s larger effort to get the military involved in the fight against drug traffickers. In response, Maduro on Monday announced the planned deployment of more than 4.5 million militia members around the country. They are volunteers designated to bolster the armed forces’ defense against external and domestic attacks.
“The empire has gone mad and has renewed its threats to Venezuela’s peace and tranquility,” Maduro said at an event in Caracas, without mentioning any specific action…
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