At the weekend, journalists asked Donald Trump about whether he was considering a rocket attack on Venezuela to destroy cartels that, according to the White House, operate in this country. The US president suggested that all options are taken into account.
– We'll see what will happen. Please note that Venezuela sends us members of his gangs, his dealers and his drugs. This is unacceptable – said Trump.
Trump wrote on Truth Social.
It was the second such incident in two weeks. The first took place on September 2, when the Trump administration claimed that the American army killed 11 “narcotics”.
This attack was a signal – The last time the American administration used the army in such a direct way in Latin America in 1989. At that time, the president was George HW Bush, and the Panama dictator and former CIA agent Manuel Noriega was at the top of the list of the most sought after Washington people.
As the columnist Danijel Depetris for “The Telegraph” writes, Trump is still considering attacks on land targets in Venezuela. One thing, however, is certain – If the President of the United States decides so, the American army starts the raid campaign for objects related to drug trafficking.
Defense Secretary Pete HegeSth went to Puerto Rico to demonstrate the American presence and military readiness in the region. There are eight American war ships and ten F-35 fighters.
American F35-B aircraft are approaching Jose Aponte de la Torre, Puerto Rico, September 13, 2025.Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP/East News/East News
No coherent strategy
Depetris warns, however, not to be fooled by the strength of strength. The Trump administration can publish as many short videos with ship explosions as he wants, but it cannot be perceived as a coherent and clear strategy.
Trump has no policy towards Venezuela –This is only a mix of contradictory impulses that eliminate each other. On the one hand I want to be a tough leader who will discipline Latin America And he will impose his will through customs, threats or return to “diplomacy” of the 20th century.
On the other hand, he wants to be the one who reaches agreements And he is ready to talk to everyone, if you can show it in front of the cameras as his personal victory. He showed both approaches to Venezuela during the first eight months of his second term.
From time to time, he sent his people, such as Richard Grenell, to meetings with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro – they raised the topic of migration, energy or exchange of prisoners. Some of these conversations brought results. In February, Grenell returned to the United States with six Americans, whom Venezuela imprisoned, among others espionage.
The Venezuela government also agreed to cooperate according to the Trump deportation plan. In July, the next ten Americans returned to the country after the White House, with the help of President Salvador Nayib Bukele, deported over 250 Venezuelans from the controversial Salvado Anti -terrorist prison.
Nicolas Maduro, Caracas, Venezuela, September 15, 2025.Miguel Gutierrez / PAP
In other cases, Trump was against Maduro and his government. American officials often emphasize that the Venezuelan leader is not a legitimate head of the state, because to secure himself the third term, he falsified last year's presidential election.
In March, Trump signed an executive decree imposing 25 % duties on goods from each country that buys Venezuelane oil, partly due to the alleged connections of Madura with the Gang Tren de Aragua gang.
In August, the State Department increased the prize for Maduro's head to $ 50 million. (approx. PLN 179 million 600 thousand). The message is clear: Nicolas Maduro is currently perceived by the American government as contemporary [dyktator Panamy] Manuel Noriega. As Depetris notes, the greater the pressure of the United States on Maduro, the lower the probability that he will work with the White House in matters that are important to him.
“Donald Trump is not interested in history or consistency”
Venezuela has no cards, but she could refuse to accept additional flights transporting deported American citizens. It would be a relatively cheap and effective way Maduro to repel the attack – he knows that Trump needs third countries ready to cooperate to achieve its targets in the field of deportation. Caracas could also exacerbate the arrests of American citizens who are still in the country, and interrupt talks about further exchange of prisoners.
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More importantly, it is not certain whether American military attacks on Venezuela would have any impact on drug flow. The White House apparently believes it, but if he has evidence to support this thesis, he did not share them with the public.
Depetris reminds that Trump basically does nothing new. Many American security agencies have already used strength in the fight against drug cartelsencouraging Latin American rule to take similar actions and invest billions in the fight against this procedure.
In Colombia, Washington has been financing and trained security forces for years to oppose drug cartels that destroyed the country. A similar situation took place in Mexico. In Peru, American intelligence services provided information on drug flights on board. This brought short -term victories, but the problem remained unsolved in the long term.
However, Donald Trump is not interested in history or consistency. He only wants to show the cameras that he wins. This means that The American military attack on Venezuela may be more likely than many analysts are ready to admit – Regardless of whether it brings specific results.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
