Tensions in the Southern Caribbean are hitting a boiling point as President Donald Trump signals a dramatic shift in strategy against Venezuelan drug trafficking—a move experts say might actually be a final ultimatum for dictator Nicolás Maduro.
In an appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend, Ryan Berg of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) broke down the implications of Trump’s latest comments. The President, touting an 85% reduction in maritime drug shipments, bluntly warned that his administration is ready to stop traffickers “by land also.”
According to Berg, this rhetoric isn’t just bluster; it likely follows a tense, unconfirmed phone call between Trump and Maduro that took place last week.
“I imagine that call didn’t go particularly well,” Berg noted, suggesting the conversation was less of a negotiation and more of a final warning for Maduro to pack his bags.
READ: Trump To Airlines And Cartels: Venezuela Is Now A ‘No-Fly’ Zone
The muscle behind this threat is hard to miss. The U.S. Navy has reportedly deployed roughly 30% of its force to the region, including the massive USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group.
Berg described the arrival of the Ford as a “crossing the Rubicon” moment, arguing that you don’t park that kind of firepower off a coastline unless you intend to put “real options on the table.”
The strategy appears to be two-pronged. First, cut off the financial lifelines by targeting the “Cartel of the Suns”—the drug-trafficking ring allegedly run by high-ranking Venezuelan generals known for their gold, sun-like epaulets. Second, use the threat of land strikes to fracture the loyalty of the armed forces.
READ: U.S. Strikes Cripple Venezuelan Smuggling Hub, Sparking Economic Freefall And Regime Crackdown
The hope is that once the military elite realizes their illicit revenue streams are being targeted, they’ll see the “game is up” and pivot to support the democratic opposition led by María Corina Machado and Edmundo González.
While the White House has not officially confirmed the details of the call, the message from the Caribbean is loud and clear: the window for a negotiated exit is closing fast.
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