Key Takeaways:
- President Trump is expected to meet with top deputies to discuss next steps for U.S. operations in Venezuela
- The meeting comes amid escalating pressure on the Maduro regime and looming threats of military action
- The U.S. has designated Maduro as a terrorist and has built up a significant military force in the region
- The Pentagon’s lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean have raised concerns about war crimes and international laws
- Lawmakers are scrutinizing the administration’s actions and calling for investigations and war powers resolutions
Introduction to the Situation
The situation in Venezuela is becoming increasingly tense, with President Trump expected to meet with his top deputies to discuss the next steps for U.S. operations in the country. According to a senior military official and two sources familiar with the upcoming White House meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are scheduled to attend the meeting, which is described as a decisional meeting regarding the next steps in the escalating pressure campaign against the Maduro regime. This meeting comes amid the president’s looming threats of military action on land and intensifying scrutiny by lawmakers over the Pentagon’s lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.
The U.S. Military Presence in the Region
The U.S. has built up a significant military force in the region as part of what President Trump has described as an anti-drug campaign against cartels that his administration has designated as terror groups. The State Department has designated Maduro himself as a terrorist, and the U.S. has moved a number of military ships to the western Atlantic and the Caribbean. The U.S. has also reopened a naval base in Puerto Rico, and President Trump has warned that Venezuelan airspace should be considered closed. Venezuela, on the other hand, has said that the U.S. has unilaterally suspended its migrant repatriation flights and wants to "undermine the sovereignty of its airspace."
Concerns About War Crimes
The Pentagon’s lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean have raised concerns about war crimes and international laws. A working group of former judge advocates general has said that if reports of a second strike on an alleged drug boat are true, it would constitute "war crimes, murder, or both." The group pointed to the Geneva Conventions, which says that members of armed forces who are out of the fight because of "sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely," and acts including "violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds" are banned. The U.S. military has killed at least 80 people in boat strikes in the Caribbean and the Pacific in "Operation Southern Spear," which it says is targeting narco-terrorists.
Lawmakers’ Reactions
Lawmakers are scrutinizing the administration’s actions and calling for investigations and war powers resolutions. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia has said that the reported U.S. follow-on strike on an alleged drug boat earlier this year "rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true." Kaine has introduced war powers resolutions to prevent President Trump from conducting strikes against Venezuela, although his efforts have fallen short in the Senate. However, he said that if the U.S. military takes action on land in Venezuela, the upper chamber would likely change its stance. President Trump has said that he "wouldn’t have wanted" a reported second strike on an alleged drug boat earlier this year, while pledging to look into the incident.
The Future of U.S. Operations in Venezuela
The future of U.S. operations in Venezuela is uncertain, with President Trump’s meeting with his top deputies expected to discuss the next steps for the country. The U.S. has said that it is aiming to stop drugs from being smuggled into the U.S., while Venezuela says that President Trump seeks Maduro’s ouster. The situation is complex, with multiple factors at play, including the U.S. military presence in the region, the designation of Maduro as a terrorist, and the concerns about war crimes and international laws. As the situation continues to unfold, it is likely that there will be further developments and reactions from lawmakers, the administration, and other stakeholders.