US Military Adviser Visits Caribbean Amid Escalating Tensions with Venezuela

General Dan Caine, the nation's top military officer and President Donald Trump's primary military adviser, is currently visiting American troops stationed in Puerto Rico and aboard a Navy warship in the Caribbean, according to a report by ksat.com published on November 25, 2025. This visit underscores the intensifying pressure campaign by the Trump administration against Venezuela, which includes evaluating potential military action.

The strategic deployment of General Caine, who also serves as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, marks his second visit to the region since the significant military buildup commenced, as reported by Military Times on November 24, 2025. His office stated that the purpose of the visit is to "engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions."

This high-profile visit coincides with the Trump administration's escalating campaign against drug trafficking in the Caribbean, explicitly targeting Venezuela. The administration has not ruled out military action against the Nicolás Maduro regime, according to TRT World on November 24, 2025.

The United States has amassed an unusually large naval presence in the region, including the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, as confirmed by CBS News on November 16, 2025. This buildup is part of "Operation Southern Spear," a comprehensive anti-drug trafficking effort involving numerous warships and thousands of personnel.

As part of this operation, US forces have conducted multiple strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats since early September 2025. These operations have resulted in over 80 deaths, with at least 83 people killed in 21 strikes on 22 vessels as of November 16, 2025, according to wikipedia and CBS News.

The Trump administration has formally designated Venezuela's "Cartel de los Soles" as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, a move that grants expanded legal authority for military action against the Maduro regime, the Miami Herald reported on November 24, 2025. This designation has been met with strong condemnation from Caracas.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has vehemently rejected the US actions, mobilizing 4.5 million militia members and accusing Washington of seeking regime change, according to The Guardian on November 24, 2025. Maduro has denounced the US military deployment as "extravagant, bizarre, and outlandish."

• Background of US-Venezuela Tensions and Drug Trafficking Allegations: The US-Venezuela relationship has been fraught with tension, particularly under the Trump administration, which has accused President Nicolás Maduro of leading a "narco-terrorist" regime. While the US claims Venezuela is a significant source of illicit drugs, UN analysis and DEA reports indicate that fentanyl, a primary concern, mostly enters the US via Mexico, and Venezuela primarily serves as a transit point for cocaine rather than a major producer, as noted by the Quincy Institute on November 6, 2025, and Al Jazeera on September 14, 2025.

• Operation Southern Spear and Military Escalation: The current military campaign, dubbed "Operation Southern Spear," began in August 2025 with a significant naval buildup in the southern Caribbean, according to wikipedia. This operation, which includes the deployment of advanced aircraft carriers and thousands of personnel, is described as the largest US military presence in the region since the Cuban Missile Crisis, as reported by Latin Times on November 24, 2025, and the Quincy Institute on November 6, 2025.

• Legality and Ethical Concerns of Strikes: The US military's strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats have drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups and some international bodies, who have labeled them as "extrajudicial killings" and questioned their legality under international law, according to The Guardian on November 24, 2025, and The Ward Post on October 17, 2025. The Trump administration, however, maintains it is in "armed conflict" with drug cartels, as stated by usni News on November 14, 2025.

• International and Regional Reactions: The aggressive US posture has created a mixed international response. European powers, including France, the Netherlands, and the UK, have expressed concerns and limited intelligence sharing, fearing their data could be used for actions they deem illegal, euractiv reported on November 23, 2025. Conversely, some Latin American nations have supported the US initiative, while others, alongside Russia and China, have sided with Venezuela, according to wikipedia on August 21, 2025.

• Venezuela's Defensive Measures and Rhetoric: In response to the heightened US military presence, President Maduro has ordered a "massive deployment" of land, sea, air, river, and missile forces, including civilian militia, to counter what he terms US "imperial threats," The Guardian reported on November 24, 2025. Venezuela has also reportedly received military equipment from Russia to bolster its defenses, as noted by The Indian Express on November 24, 2025.

• Potential Future Developments: The designation of the "Cartel de los Soles" as a terrorist organization by the US State Department on November 24, 2025, is seen by some analysts as potentially paving the way for further military strikes within Venezuela, according to the Miami Herald. The War Zone reported on November 24, 2025, that covert operations could be the initial phase of new actions against Maduro, although the exact timing and scope remain unclear.