Venezuela’s Maduro Calls For ‘Peace’ As U.S. Announces ‘Operation Southern Spear’ (Photos)

Illustrative image. (USAF/Staff Sgt. William Rio Rosado)

Despite recent escalation by the administration of President Donald Trump, President Nicolás Maduro told CNN on November 13 that the people of the United States should unite with Venezuela for the peace of the Americas.

Speaking to the news network from the middle of a rally in Caracas, Maduro urged the U.S. against entering another prolonged conflict,

“To unite for the peace of (the Americas). No more endless wars. No more unjust wars. No more Libya. No more Afghanistan,” he said.

Asked by CNN journalist Stefano Pozzebon if he had a message for Trump, Maduro replied in English: “Yes peace, yes peace.”

Maduro’s remarks came amid growing tensions with the U.S. In August, the Trump administration doubled the reward for the arrest of the Venezuelan president to $50 million on drug trafficking charges and dispatched an amphibious ready group led by the USS Iwo Jima landing helicopter dock to the Caribbean Sea to counter drug trafficking.

Later in September, the U.S. began launching strikes against boats allegedly carrying drugs. So far, 21 such boats have been targeted in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. At least 80 alleged smugglers have been killed.

Tensions reached unprecedented levels earlier this week with the Pentagon confirming that the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group began operating in the area of responsibility of the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which includes the Caribbean.

As Maduro was calling for peace, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally announced the launch of a U.S. military operation to target so-called “narco-terrorists.”

“Today, I’m announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR. Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and @SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people,” Hegseth said in a post on X.

“The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood – and we will protect it,” he added.

The next day, SOUTHCOM shared photos of the Ford and its strike group to X. Notably, the photos showing a B-52 Stratofortress making a low pass over the carrier.

“Carrier Strike Group Twelve delivers presence with purpose – deterring illicit networks, disrupting transnational threats, safeguarding the Caribbean, and defending the homeland,” the command wrote.

Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Army)

Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Army)

Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Army)

Hegseth’s announcement followed a CBS News report that said senior U.S. military officials, including the Secretary of Defense, had presented Trump with updated options for potential operations in Venezuela, including strikes on land.

Venezuela has been already preparing for such an attack. Earlier this week, the government announced earlier this week that it was launching a “massive mobilization” of military personnel, weapons and equipment.

It is not secret that Washington is interested in regime change in Caracas. However, it is still unclear if Trump would actually go this far, or just leverage the current escalation to strike a deal with Maduro. Regardless, the problem of drug trafficking is only a pretext. In reality, the U.S. after Venezuela’s oil reserves, which are the largest in the world.

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