Top Headlines

Feeds

Maduro Signals Openness to US Drug‑Trafficking Talks as Washington Expands Drone Strikes and Oil Sanctions

Updated (12 articles)

Maduro Offers Data‑Driven Dialogue on Drug Trafficking and Oil In a pretaped interview aired on New Year’s Eve, Nicolás Maduro told state TV he is ready to discuss a drug‑trafficking pact and potential U.S. oil investment “wherever they want and whenever they want,” provided Washington supplies verifiable data [1][2][3]. He framed the United States as seeking regime change and oil access, while insisting any talks must be constructive and evidence‑based [3]. Maduro also praised Venezuelan security forces for downing dozens of drug‑smuggling aircraft in 2025 [2].

U.S. Expands Military Operations Targeting Narcotics Vessels The United States has carried out more than 30 strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the past three months, killing five people on two boats in the latest operation [1]. Cumulative counts reach 35 boat strikes and at least 115 fatalities, according to U.S. officials [3]. The campaign, described as an “armed conflict with drug cartels,” now spans the Caribbean coast and the eastern Pacific [2].

CIA Drone Strike Marks First Direct Action on Venezuelan Soil Two sources confirmed a CIA‑operated drone hit a docking facility on Venezuela’s coast believed to be used by the Tren de Aragua gang, representing the first known U.S. strike inside Venezuelan territory [2][3][4]. The December strike followed a series of boat attacks and intensified Washington’s pressure on Caracas [4]. Maduro declined immediate comment, saying the incident could be discussed in a few days [1][3].

Trump Announces Terrorist Designation and Tightens Oil Blockade President Donald Trump announced plans to label the Maduro government a Foreign Terrorist Organization and raised the bounty for information on Maduro to $50 million [4][1]. The administration also ordered a maritime quarantine of Venezuelan oil exports, seizing sanctioned tankers—including one on 10 December—and directing the Coast Guard to intercept vessels in Caribbean waters [1][4]. These moves aim to cripple Venezuela’s oil revenue while pressuring the regime to negotiate [2].

Maduro’s Cautious Responses Highlight Diplomatic Tension When asked about the CIA strike, Maduro neither confirmed nor denied the claim, instead suggesting the matter could be addressed in a few days [1][3]. He consistently emphasized the need for “data‑backed” talks and portrayed U.S. actions as intimidation tactics [2][3]. This diplomatic tightrope reflects Caracas’ attempt to balance openness to negotiation with resistance to perceived coercion [1][2].

Sources

Timeline

2024 – The opposition’s 2024 presidential election loss cements Maduro’s grip on power, with the military’s loyalty‑punishment system rewarding loyal officers and suppressing dissent, despite U.S. incentives for regime change. [11]

Sep 2025 – U.S. forces destroy more than 80 drug‑laden boats in the Caribbean, launching a campaign that later reaches 21 strikes and at least 83 deaths, which Maduro decries as a U.S. attempt to destabilize Chavismo. [11][8][9]

Nov 29, 2025 – President Trump orders Venezuelan airspace closed, designates Maduro’s government as a foreign terrorist organization, and hints at imminent land strikes while deploying over a dozen warships and 15,000 troops under Operation Southern Spear. [3]

Nov 30, 2025 – Analysts note U.S. military consideration of strikes against Venezuela and describe Maduro’s loyalty‑punishment regime that enriches loyal officials and punishes dissent, keeping the armed forces aligned with the regime. [11]

Dec 1, 2025 – Trump confirms a phone call with Maduro but gives no details, reiterates the airspace closure, and cites 21 boat strikes since September that killed 83 people; Maduro denounces the U.S. as a colonialist grab for resources. [9][8]

Dec 10, 2025 – Two U.S. Navy F/A‑18 jets overfly the Gulf of Venezuela from the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, signaling heightened pressure after earlier boat strikes and preceding the U.S. designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization. [7]

Dec 12, 2025 – The United States plans additional oil‑shipment interceptions, deploys F‑35 fighters to the Caribbean, and patrols with USS Gerald R. Ford, while Maduro labels the tanker seizure “international piracy” and swears in 5,600 new soldiers, asserting the U.S. seeks regime change. [6]

Dec 17, 2025 – Trump designates the Maduro government as a foreign terrorist organization and orders a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers, following a recent seizure of a Venezuelan crude tanker and the deployment of a carrier strike group with F‑35A fighters. [12]

Dec 22, 2025 – Maduro posts a defiant Christmas Telegram urging “No War!” and celebrating unity, as the U.S. expands its Caribbean force, seizes sanctioned oil vessels, and China condemns the seizures as violations of international law. [5]

Dec 31, 2025 – A U.S. Caribbean buildup intensifies, including deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s Cecot, a $50 million reward for information on Maduro, and a CIA drone strike on a Venezuelan port facility used by the Tren de Aragua gang—the first known U.S. attack inside Venezuela. [2]

Jan 2, 2026 – In a pre‑taped state TV interview, Maduro says Venezuela is ready to negotiate a drug‑trafficking pact “wherever they want and whenever they want,” invites U.S. oil investment, and offers to discuss the recent CIA drone strike in a few days, while the U.S. reports over 30 vessel strikes in three months and announces a maritime quarantine of Venezuelan oil exports. [1][4][10]

Dive deeper (10 sub-stories)

All related articles (12 articles)

External resources (3 links)