Off the coast of Venezuela, Trump assembled a force that is otherwise only known from military films: At the center of the formation: the high-tech aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford with over 4,000 soldiers and more than 70 combat jets. It is accompanied by the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and several Arleigh-Burke-class destroyers like USS Gravely and USS Sampson. In total, around 15,000 US soldiers are ready. Although US drones already destroyed 21 suspected smuggling boats and killed over 80 participants in the operation "Southern Spear", the current armada suggests a major attack is imminent. Trump hinted that future targets within Venezuela are in sight: Infrastructure of the powerful "Cartel de los Soles", warehouses, vehicles, weapons depots. He even warned that ground operations could "start soon".
An unusual flight of the Venezuelan presidential plane added to the nervousness. The Airbus A319 suddenly took off in Caracas and headed for the border with Brazil. Whether Maduro himself was on board remained unclear. Was it a test run? Or already the first step towards flight? Trump has been a bitter opponent of the Venezuelan ruler for years. The highest US bounty ever placed on a member of a foreign government is now on Maduro: 50 million dollars.
The situation continues to escalate - and the world holds its breath.