Pleas for “no crazy war” – here is Trump’s response

Venezuela

Maduro’s plea: No crazy war, please

Nora Fernstedt

Published 00.12

Tensions between the US and Venezuela are escalating significantly.

Nicolás Maduro says he does not want a “crazy war”.

At the same time, the US is now sending its largest aircraft carrier to Latin America.

The situation is tense around the Caribbean Sea.

During the night of Friday, the US carried out another attack on a “drug boat”. Six people are said to have been killed.

According to Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, the ship was traveling on a “well-known smuggling route and was loaded with drugs”.

In total, over 40 people have died in similar attacks on “drug boats”, mainly off the coast of Venezuelas, in recent weeks.

"If you are a drug-trafficking terrorist, we will treat you like we treat al-Qaeda. Day and night we will map your networks, track you, hunt you and kill you," Hegseth writes in a post on X.

 

The US's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford is on its way to Latin America. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB

"Detect, monitor and disrupt"

At the same time as Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro tries to stay in power, the US is greatly increasing its presence in the region.

Since August, it has sent several warships, an attack submarine, fighter jets and spy planes to the Caribbean Sea.

And now the US is stepping up its efforts further by sending the navy's largest aircraft carrier, writes Sky News.

The USS Gerald R Ford is to be deployed to the region to “strengthen the US’s ability to detect, monitor and disrupt illegal actors that threaten US security and prosperity,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

The aircraft carrier is currently in the Mediterranean and is expected to travel to Latin America in about a week.

           

            

          US bombers, spy planes and fighter jets have been sent to the region.

          1 / 2Photo: Lee Jin-Man / AP

Maduro: Yes to peace forever

At the same time, Trump recently gave the CIA the green light to carry out covert operations inside Venezuela.

And that makes Maduro see red.

– Yes to peace, yes to peace forever. No crazy war, thank you, Maduro said on Thursday during a meeting with allied unions, the AFP news agency reports.

Last week, Maduro moved troops to the coast in preparation for a potential US invasion and says that “the people are ready to fight.”

 

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has appealed for peace. Photo: Ariana Cubillos / AP

Criticism: “Ridiculous”

Several Democratic politicians in the United States have criticized the attacks and expressed concern that they risk dragging the United States into war with Venezuela.

Jim Himes, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives, has previously called it “ridiculous” that the United States would be in armed conflict with Venezuelan drug traffickers.

White House sources have told the New York Times that the main reason for the US rearmament around Venezuela is to drive President Maduro and his authoritarian regime from power.

 

Trump has warned that he is prepared to attack targets on land. Photo: Evan Vucci / AP

“I think we will just kill...”

Trump has also confirmed that the next step in the operation is to attack targets on land.

– The ground will be the next step. The drugs on land are much more dangerous for them. It will be much more dangerous. You will see that soon, he said at a press conference at the White House on Thursday.

He did not elaborate on which targets the United States intends to attack.

A reporter asked if Trump will declare war on the drug cartels. But President Trump said he will continue with individual attacks.

– I think we will only kill people who bring drugs into our country, okay? he replied.