The deployment of U.S. troops in the Caribbean, ordered by President Donald Trump, marks the beginning of a war against drug trafficking and primarily targets the Cartel of the Suns—designated as a global terrorist organization by the U.S. Treasury—along with the Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel, as well as their criminal networks. The response from Nicolás Maduro’s regime is disinformation.
This action continues previous efforts that date back to the 1980s and is not an invasion of Venezuela, as the Maduro regime suggests. It is part of a broader strategy against transnational organized crime and narcoterrorism, generating a disinformation campaign by the Venezuelan regime, which presents it as an imminent invasion.
Despite Diosdado Cabello’s attempts to downplay the situation and deny the existence of groups like the Tren de Aragua and the Cartel of the Suns, especially in light of recent arrests, the impact on the Chavista regime in response to U.S. actions is evident.
U.S. Troop Deployment in the Caribbean
With the deployment of U.S. troops in the Caribbean, the war against drug trafficking begins
The U.S. State Department recently confirmed the deployment of air and naval forces in the southern Caribbean Sea. This operation aims to “counter all threats from Latin American drug cartels like the Cartel of the Suns, the Sinaloa Cartel, the Tren de Aragua, and other global terrorist organizations designated by the U.S. administration.”
The initial military action includes at least two warships and an increase in aerial surveillance to gather intelligence and neutralize drug trafficking operations.
It’s important to note that these operations are not new, having been executed since 1980. This includes interventions such as that in Bolivia in 1986, or against Colombian cartels like Medellin and Cali during the 1980s; as well as Operation Justice Support against the Cartel of the Suns in Venezuela and Colombia in the 1990s; the Colombia Plan from 2000 onwards; and a special operation in April 2020 under Trump’s first administration against the Cartel of the Suns.
Thus, it is the same strategy, but with a renewed focus derived from the designation of new criminal organizations as global terrorists.
Objective of U.S. Troop Deployment in the Caribbean
The current operation focuses on Latin American cartels, specifically, the Cartel of the Suns, Sinaloa Cartel, and Tren de Aragua—three criminal organizations designated as global terrorist entities.
The designation of these groups as terrorists entails a series of protocolized actions, but it is crucial to emphasize that this is not an invasion, as no American Marine unit is expected to “extract Maduro and take him prisoner,” as has been suggested.
It’s worth remembering that the head of Southern Command in 2020 also clarified that the operation at that time did not intend to invade Venezuela or overthrow Nicolás Maduro, but rather sought to combat drug trafficking.
The current operation aims to cut off the presence and business of drug cartels, linking it to the opioid crisis in the U.S. It is also related to border security in the U.S., viewed as a “threat to U.S. national security.”
The Narrative and Response of the Venezuelan Regime
The narrative of the Maduro regime is disinformation
In response to the U.S. troop deployment, Maduro’s regime initiated a large disinformation and propaganda campaign.
This disinformation is propagated through the extensive network of media created and controlled by Chavismo, along with its influencers who spread false information on various social media platforms about a supposed invasion of U.S. Marines into Venezuela.
Diosdado Cabello claimed that Venezuela will respond to the U.S. operation and assured that they are prepared. This statement from the Chavista leader is nothing but bravado, as the Venezuelan Armed Forces are not equipped to face any army in combat, especially not that of the U.S.
The Information Manipulations of Diosdado Cabello
When Diosdado Cabello cites a UN report to assert that there is no drug production in Venezuela, calling it a drug-free territory, and claims there are no drug processing labs anywhere in the country, he presents manipulated information.
Cabello conveniently fails to mention that the UN report relies on data provided by governments themselves—like the ONA in Venezuela, controlled by the cartels—while also lying when he states there are no labs or drug production in Venezuelan territory.
In other words, the Venezuelan regime uses somewhat serious or verifiable data—like UN reports—and wraps it in its own narrative to construct false stories.
The Maduro regime criticizes U.S. operations, calling them “militarization of the region,” labeling cooperating countries as “submissive,” which is a narrative destined for failure, as success in such a narrative requires belief, something that is no longer the case.
Tren de Aragua and Its Links to the Venezuelan Regime
A series of events link the Venezuelan regime to the Tren de Aragua, including the capture of “Gordo Alex,” known as Alfredo José Henríquez Pineda, in Santiago, Chile. He is identified as a participant and a responsible member of the Tren de Aragua faction known as “Los Piratas” and is one of the material authors of the political assassination of former Venezuelan lieutenant, Ronald Ojeda.
The Chilean Prosecutor’s Office, based on testimonies, confirmed this individual’s connection to Ojeda’s murder and the Maduro regime. Diosdado Cabello is one of those mentioned by one of the interrogated individuals.
Yet, despite the evidence, the Maduro regime and Diosdado Cabello insist that the Tren de Aragua does not exist.
Vea en Sin Filtros “EEUU despliega tropas en el Caribe: ¡Guerra al narcotráfico!”: