Political situation in Venezuela

US sends more ships to Venezuela – tense situation

The US has never been closer to a military conflict with Venezuela, reports Axios. Donald Trump has ordered four more warships to the seas off the country. A total of seven ships with 4,500 soldiers are in place or on the way.

Officially, the aim is to combat drug trafficking, but Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt also states that the administration sees Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as "a drug kingpin on the run" rather than the country's legitimate president.

- This is 105 percent about drug terrorism, but no one will cry if it ends with Maduro being overthrown, says an administration source.

Another says that the whole thing could be "Noriega Part Two", referring to the 1989 US military operation to capture Panamanian President Manuel Noriega. 

Experts: It may not just be about drugs

Officially, seven US warships are off Venezuela to combat drug trafficking – but the Trump administration is not hiding its disdain for President Maduro, and experts the Financial Times spoke to believe there may be other objectives.

“This is a force whose nature and size are not consistent with efforts against drug trafficking,” says Evan Ellis, a former aide to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during Trump’s first term.

It would be more logical if this is about plans to arrest Maduro and put him on trial, but Trump has probably not decided whether to go all out yet, according to Ellis.

Several of the ships being sent to the sea off Venezuela are armed with Tomahawk missiles, which can hit targets on land.