The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, confirmed that an operation against drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere has begun, named "Southern Spear."
“Our mission is to protect the country and eliminate drug traffickers who threaten the safety of our people. The Western Hemisphere belongs to America, and we are obligated to defend it,” Hegseth noted in his message on the X platform.
Details of the operation remain unknown.
According to information from the Associated Press, in a few days, the modern aircraft carrier "Gerald Ford" will approach the shores of Venezuela, joining other U.S. naval forces in Latin America and the Caribbean. This will create the largest U.S. military presence in the region in decades, starting from the intervention in Panama in 1989.
The administration of President Donald Trump criticizes Venezuela for its insufficient fight against drug trafficking. Since September 2025, U.S. forces have begun launching missile strikes on Venezuelan vessels suspected of transporting drugs. In early September, CNN reported that Trump was considering attacks on drug cartels in Venezuela. Participants in discussions at the White House believe that such measures could help weaken the regime of President Nicolás Maduro. In addition, the U.S. is modernizing its military bases in the Caribbean.
According to The New York Times, the Trump administration has developed several scenarios for military action in Venezuela. One of them includes sending elite units to the country, such as Delta or SEAL Team 6, which may be tasked with capturing or destroying Maduro.
Nicolás Maduro characterized the actions of the U.S. as a “hostile siege,” urging Washington to abandon its intentions of violently changing the regime in Venezuela and Latin America. In October, he sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting assistance in strengthening Venezuela's air defense, including the restoration of the Russian Su-30 fighter jet.
