Trump ‘planning invasion of Venezuela’ as game of chicken may see ‘Maduro wake up to US forces’
EXCLUSIVE: The Trump administration is ramping up the pressure on Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro while striking vessels that it says are trafficking drugs, sparking fears of a forced regime change
Trump is playing chicken with his Venezuelan counterpart, it is claimed(Image: Getty Images)
Donald Trump appears to be “planning an invasion” of Venezuela to force a regime change by lining up a huge military presence off the coast of the oil-rich nation, an expert fears. More than 10,000 US troops have been deployed to the Caribbean.
Among the military build-up are helicopters from an elite unit known as ‘Night Stalkers’, whose daredevil pilots have taken part in some of the most dangerous missions in recent US military history, which almost always happen under the cover of darkness.
And security expert Professor Anthony Glees said the US may be seeking to oust Venezuela’s authoritarian president Nicolás Maduro. He said: “Maduro might just wake up in the next few days and find US forces have taken over his country.”
Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro(Image: Getty Images)
A mammoth number of US naval assets are now located in US Southern Command, the US military’s command responsible for operations in Latin America, according to a fleet tracker published by the United States Naval Institute’s news portal.
The fleet includes the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, three guided-missile destroyers, an attack submarine, a special operations ship, a guided missile cruiser and P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft.
The US has also deployed 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico, which has become a hub for the US military as part of the increased focus on the Caribbean, and egg-shaped MH-6 Little Bird attack helicopters and Black Hawks belonging to the ‘Night Stalkers’.
President Trump sent ten F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of his war on drug cartels as tensions mount with Venezuela (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star, Prof Glees said: “If we look at what Trump and his War Secretary Pete Hegseth are piling into the region, we can properly ask whether it’s simply ‘pressure’ that is being put on Maduro or whether they are planning to oust him and have regime change.
“Trump has assembled a fleet of F-35 fighter jets to take out Venezuela’s air force, a big potential invasion force, led by the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, a sub, 3 guided missile cruisers and Boeing P-8 ‘Poseidon’ electronic spying planes.
“The big US naval base in Puerto Rico, mothballed since 2004, has been re-opened. The CIA has been given carte blanche to subvert Maduro and above all the drug cartels from inside Venezuela.
Around 10,000 troops are deployed in the Caribbean (Image: Getty Images)
“This looks to some of us like Trump not merely talking tough but actually planning an invasion. He’s already said to Maduro, in public ‘don’t f*** around with the USA’ but that is actually exactly what Maduro is doing.
“He’s ordered Venezuela to start its Christmas celebrations right now and told people to ‘party, party, party’, answering Trump’s entreaties with a Latin American version of the two-fingered salute.
“Nor should we forget that Venezuela has the largest gold and oil reserves in the Latin America. Trump would like a slice of them.”
Venezuelan troops were deployed to the border with Bolivia after the US said it would run ground operations(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Amid escalating military tensions, President Maduro decreed that the Venezuela’s annual Christmas celebrations to begin this month to bring “joy” to the population. It is the second consecutive year he has brought the festival forward.
In 2024, the Christmas holidays also began two months early, weeks after his regime was accused of stealing the presidential election by declaring Maduro the winner despite compelling evidence he had lost in a landslide.
Prof Glees added: “So at the moment, Trump and Maduro are playing chicken with each other. Trump bets on American might, Maduro on the perils of an invasion.
Prof Glees said Trump “has a nasty temper”(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“But in my view, Trump has a nasty temper and Maduro might just wake up in the next few days and find US forces have taken over his country. I don’t believe Trump wants bloodshed. But he who must be obeyed will not accept Maduro’s cheek for much longer.”
The Trump administration has dubbed Maduro aa “narco-terrorist” and has made no secret of its desire that he be removed from power.
Earlier this year, it doubled the bounty for information leading to his arrest to $50 million while sending a flotilla of warships towards the southern Caribbean, raising speculation it might be considering a mission to capture him.
At least seven US Navy warships and one nuclear submarine are believed to be patrolling the region. US officials insist the purpose of the deployment is to tackle drug trafficking rather than effect regime change.
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