Operation Pressure Point - how Trump crosses a line in Venezuela

Research has revealed that Trump has given the C.I.A. permission to operate covertly in Venezuela. Not a side issue and not a technical detail, but a step that lifts the entire conflict to a new level. At the same time, secret talks with Nicolás Maduro are taking place again, only a few weeks after Trump had broken them off. An offer emerged that immediately triggered mistrust in Washington: Maduro signaled he could step down in one to two years. For the White House, this was out of the question. Yet the very fact that this proposal was made at all shows how much pressure Caracas is now under - and how far the Trump administration is willing to go. See also our article: "Fire over the Caribbean Sea and the phantom in the Mediterranean, Jordan Goudreau - while Venezuela's military trains civilians" at the link: https://kaizen-blog.org/en/feuer-ueber-dem-karibischen-meer-und-das-phantom-im-mittelmeer-jordan-goudreau-waehrend-venezuelas-militaer-zivilisten-trainiert/ - There you will also find further links to our additional Venezuela articles.

USS Gerald R. Ford - USS Mahan - USS Bainbridge - USS Winston S. Churchill - USS Lake Erie - USS Gettysburg - USS Stockdale - USS Gravely - USS Iwo Jima - USS Fort Lauderdale - USS San Antonio - USS Wichita as well as, to our knowledge, 2 submarines

The military buildup in the Caribbean is not a backdrop. The Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the United States, has been stationed there since the weekend. Around 15,000 troops are in the region, spread across amphibious ships and bases in Puerto Rico. The United States calls the whole thing "Operation Southern Spear", the largest presence in the Caribbean region since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Behind the scenes, the Pentagon is working on lists of potential targets: drug facilities, port areas, military units near Maduro. None of this remains theoretical. Everything is being prepared as if each point could be activated at any moment.

In parallel, the situation at sea has become even more dense. The USS San Antonio (LPD-17) has returned to its core operational area after completing its humanitarian mission in Jamaica and was sighted about 40 kilometers off Guayama. The Iwo Jima (LHD) ended its port stay on St. Croix about a week ago. In addition, the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD) is back in the region after a stay in Mayport. With the return of the San Antonio, the entire 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit and the full Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group have been restored - a formation that can be deployed in the shortest possible time in an emergency. This completeness gives the military buildup a completely new force, because now not only the aircraft carrier but also the amphibious group is fully operational.

The visible part of this strategy is only the surface. The real movement takes place in secret. Several people who were briefed on the situation report that Trump instructed the intelligence service to prepare measures that may include sabotage, digital interference or psychological operations. This type of preparation usually comes before open military steps. They exert pressure, put opponents under stress and create conditions that can later serve as justification.

At the same time, the State Department has announced that beginning November 24 it will designate the so-called Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization. Officially, it is not a classic cartel but a network linked to the Venezuelan security forces. However, the designation creates a framework that can make military action significantly easier to justify. Anyone associated with this network could in the future be considered a member of a terrorist structure. This noticeably shifts the threshold for interventions.

The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and Carrier Strike Group 12 officially arrived in the southern Caribbean region on November 16, 2025, and were sighted south of Puerto Rico. The strike group is not heading to any port - it is already conducting a full refueling and replenishment at sea (UNREP). The formation: The Ford is holding position west of the main group, which consists of two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, a Kaiser-class oiler and a fourth warship (presumably a third destroyer). The signal: This immediate "refueling at sea" is a clear sign. CSG-12 is making no stop but is preparing for a prolonged, high-tempo deployment in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.n: Die Ford hält Position westlich der Hauptgruppe, die aus zwei Zerstörern der Arleigh-Burke-Klasse, einem Versorgungstanker der Kaiser-Klasse und einem vierten Kriegsschiff besteht (vermutlich ein dritter Zerstörer). Das Signal: Diese sofortige „Betankung auf See“ ist ein klares Zeichen. CSG-12 macht keinen Halt, sondern bereitet sich auf einen längeren, intensiven Einsatz im Verantwortungsbereich des SOUTHCOM vor.

While Trump continues to speak publicly about drug routes and about wanting to "clean up" the region, internally it has long been about something else. Internal conversations show that Venezuela's oil reserves are a decisive factor for the administration. Maduro has signaled to American interlocutors that he would be willing to grant energy companies access. Under what conditions - and to whose benefit - is the open question driving the dynamics of the current situation.

In addition, the United States is already using force without involving Congress. Since October, 21 boats have been attacked that, according to the administration, were smuggling drugs. At least 83 people died. Trump publicly spoke of fentanyl, the substance that causes so many deaths in the United States. But before lawmakers, the military had to admit that the boats were carrying cocaine. This exact contradiction is causing unrest in Congress because it reinforces the impression that people are being attacked who are suspected but not combatants. Bypassing the legislature intensifies the criticism even more. Venezuelan military personnel train civilians

The administration's strategy therefore relies on three levels: covert measures, military pressure and secret negotiations. Each of these levels can take on a momentum of its own. A canceled meeting, a mistake during an operation, an excessive reaction by Maduro - and the situation could change within a very short time. The real uncertainty lies in how far Trump is willing to go if the situation turns again. Venezuelan military personnel train civilians

Venezuela has become one of the most critical arenas of American foreign policy. Not as a secondary matter but as a conflict in which it becomes visible how far the administration wants to expand its influence and how close the line to open confrontation has now become. The next step depends on decisions made in small circles, often without any public oversight. This exact combination makes the current phase so dangerous.