Naval buildup alludes to likely regime change in Caracas
The United States has conducted a series of naval airstrikes on boats originating from Venezuela and Colombia, beginning in September. The 22 boats, which were allegedly carrying drugs to the United States, were destroyed by the U.S. Navy. The strikes are part of a larger effort by the White House to pressure the government of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro into concessions surrounding drug and oil policy and regime change.
The U.S. Navy began positioning forces in and around the Caribbean in late August. Since then, President Trump has dispatched the USS Iwo Jima’s Amphibious Ready Group and the USS Gerald R. Ford’s Carrier Strike Group, among other military assets, to the southern Caribbean. They are accompanied by an array of support ships. The U.S. Air Force has also dispatched an unknown number of B-52H and B-1B long range strategic bombers to Puerto Rico.
President Maduro, a former bus driver who succeeded communist revolutionary Hugo Chavez as leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, has decried the strikes and military buildup. Widely regarded as a dictator, Maduro’s rule has been called illegitimate since 2019 by the governments of more than fifty countries, following elections in 2018 and 2024 that were internationally condemned as rigged. His opponent in 2024, Maria Corina Machado, was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy for democracy in Venezuela. She dedicated the prize “to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause.”
The Department of State considers Maduro to be the leader of the “Cartel of the Suns,” a state-sponsored drug cartel designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization composed of high-ranking Venezuelan generals. Maduro is subject to a 50,000,000 dollar bounty from the FBI for allegedly leading the cartel.
President Trump stated on November 28 that strikes inside Venezuela on cartel targets “would begin very soon.” Speaking on Truth Social, he called for “all airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers” to consider “the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety.” In a phone call on November 21, Trump reportedly gave Maduro an ultimatum to leave Venezuela immediately or be removed by force.
Pope Leo XIV, addressing reporters before returning to the Vatican from his Apostolic Visit to Lebanon, urged caution regarding the situation. “I truly believe that it is better to look for ways of dialogue, maybe pressure, including economic pressure, but looking for another way to change,” he said.
Student opinions regarding the situation were decidedly mixed. Enoch Griffith, a sophomore studying political science, believed U.S-backed regime change should be an urgent priority. He told the Rover, “The systematic dismantling of civil liberties and documented human rights abuses in Venezuela have stripped the current regime of its legitimacy. When a government persecutes its own citizens and forces leaders like Maria Corina Machado into hiding, it forfeits its right to rule.” Griffith added, “An immediate transfer of power is no longer just a political preference, it’s a moral imperative.”
Some students were more cautious about direct intervention. Sophomore Manuel Guardian expressed sympathy for the Venezuelan opposition, telling the Rover, “I have a lot of Venezuelan friends in Miami whose families fled because of the economic and political situation.” Guardian was skeptical of the administration’s approach, however, adding, “I don’t know if using military force is the right answer.”
Professor Michael Desch, Director of the O’Brien Notre Dame International Security Center, described the intent of the administration with the strikes and subsequent naval buildup, telling the Rover, “The Trump administration is trying to ratchet up pressure on the Maduro regime,” Desch said. Despite the size of the American presence, Desch added, “I do not think we have sufficient forces there to oust Maduro.”
Elaborating on the administration’s goals, Desch said, “I believe the Administration is hoping to either frighten Maduro into leaving or emboldening the opposition to oust him. I don’t think either will succeed.”
Describing the potential consequences of military action against Venezuela, Desch was clear: “Maduro’s ouster would be good for the people of Venezuela. … His regime is an annoyance but not a major security threat to the U.S.”
Sam Marchand is a junior studying political science and finance from Beaumont, Texas. He squanders much of his spare time by reading the Current Events section of Wikipedia preparing arguments for ND Speech & Debate, of which he serves as head yapper. You can send him goulash recommendations while he’s in Budapest at smarcha3@nd.edu.
Photo Credit: U.S. Navy
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