US military officials are developing plans for strikes inside Venezuela targeting drug trafficking operations, with potential action within weeks if approved by President Donald Trump, four sources told NBC News on Friday.
The proposed operations would focus on drone strikes against cartel leadership and drug production facilities, marking a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s military campaign against alleged narcotics networks operating from Venezuelan territory.
Trump has not yet approved the plans, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the planning publicly. The White House declined to provide specifics but referred to Trump’s previous statement that Venezuela sending “gang members, their drug dealers and drugs” is “not acceptable.”
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Related: US Military Strikes Drug Vessel from Venezuela, Killing 11
The potential strikes would follow at least four US military attacks on boats allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela since early September, killing at least 17 people. The administration has provided limited evidence regarding the presence of narcotics on some vessels, though Dominican officials confirmed finding cocaine in the water after one strike.
The US has deployed at least eight warships with more than 4,000 personnel to the region and sent F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico in recent weeks. Some Trump administration officials express disappointment that the military buildup has not weakened Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s hold on power, one source said.
Related: Trump Issues Ultimatum to Venezuela, Threatens ‘Incalculable’ Consequences Over Migrants
Maduro, whom the US indicted on drug trafficking charges in 2020, has denied involvement in narcotics and accused Washington of seeking regime change. The administration has increased the reward for his arrest to $50 million.
Venezuela is not a major cocaine producer but serves as a significant transit point for the drug. It is not considered a source of illegal fentanyl entering the US, which primarily comes from Mexico, according to experts.
Amnesty International USA called the boat strikes potential “extrajudicial executions,” while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva told the United Nations General Assembly this week that using lethal force outside armed conflict amounts to “executing people without trial.”
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