(NewsNation) — Three Navy destroyers will be deploying to the waters off Venezuela as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to combat illegal drug smuggling.
In February, the State Department designated several cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and in recent weeks has reportedly given the U.S. military the go-ahead to use force against them.
The move appears to be an escalation in conflicts between the U.S. and Venezuela’s Maduro regime as Trump continues an aggressive effort to combat Latin American cartels. Reuters is reporting that around 4,000 Marines and others could potentially be deployed to the Caribbean region as well.
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On state television, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responded, saying he is preparing between four and five million militia who are going to be prepared and armed.
At a public event, Maduro went on to say, “The empire has gone mad and renewed its threat to Venezuelan peace and tranquility.”
Trump’s move to designate some cartels as terrorist organizations opened up a range of new options for the Pentagon’s involvement in the fight against drug smuggling.
“This requires a whole of government effort and through coordination with regional partners, the Defense Department will undoubtedly play an important role towards meeting the President’s objective to eliminate the ability of these cartels to threaten the territory, safety and security of the United States and its people,” said spokesman Sean Parnell.
Reports are surfacing of potential American strikes in other countries in Latin America, though neither the Pentagon nor the White House has confirmed those reports.
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With Congress on recess, lawmakers have been quiet about the plans, but previously, those on both sides of the aisle said they would like to see more participation and cooperation from our allies who have cartels operating inside their borders.
While some Republicans are ready to support Trump if there is escalation or actual strikes on other countries, other lawmakers are hesitant because they want to avoid the possibility of seeing American boots on the ground.
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