A massive military escalation is unfolding in the Caribbean Sea, as the United States deploys F-18 Super Hornet fighter jets from the USS Gerald R. Ford supercarrier, simulating strike missions on Venezuelan targets.

WASHINGTON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The United States is poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, four U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Trump administration escalates pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government.

President Trump posted on social media that Venezuela's airspace should be considered as "closed in its entirety."

VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro yesterday wrote a letter to the Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) condemning a “campaign of harassment” by United States

The U.S. has designated the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, a move expected to escalate military involvement

Here is a timeline of the deteriorating relations between Venezuela and the US since Trump started his second term in January 2025 – and how Washington’s approach towards the South American nation since the late 1990s has led to this moment.

As the United States threatens to attack Venezuela, some Caribbean allies are offering support. The United States has been amassing military forces and assets in the region since August. It has killed more than 80 people in strikes on boats it alleges are carrying drugs to the United States.