Washington Develops Military Scenarios for Venezuela Invasion: Maduro’s Oil and Potential Operations
The administration of U.S.
President Donald Trump is actively working on plans for potential military intervention in Venezuela, aiming to remove incumbent President Nicolás Maduro from power.
Sources indicate that multiple scenarios are being considered, including airstrikes on military targets, deployment of elite special forces to capture or eliminate Maduro, and large-scale operations involving special units to take control of critical infrastructure.
While no final decision has been made, key advisors and legal experts are working on building a legislative framework that would allow actions without Congressional approval, utilizing justified legal mechanisms.
Tensions with the Venezuelan government are escalating amid geopolitical strains and a strategic desire to gain access to the country’s vast oil reserves, which are the largest in the world.
Currently, about 10,000 U.S.
military personnel are deployed in the region, along with the new Gerald R.
Ford aircraft carrier, carrying over 75 aircraft and 5,000 sailors, which is expected to be a pivotal element in possible military moves.
Discussions about military operations focus on either conducting airstrikes on Maduro’s loyal military units or deploying highly secretive special forces like Delta Force or SEAL Team Six for direct confrontation and potential elimination of the Venezuelan leader.
An alternative plan involves land operations aimed at capturing key airports, oil fields, and critical infrastructure, but these carry significant risks for U.S.
forces and civilians.
Washington is also seeking legal loopholes to justify covert actions against Maduro, with some officials proposing to label him as a figure associated with narco-terrorism, making him a legitimate military target.
Central to Trump’s interest is Venezuela’s oil, with moves to lift restrictions on Chevron, the last remaining U.S.
oil company operating there, which advocates long-term presence in the country.
Maduro has countered by proposing large-scale oil concessions and control stakes in Venezuela’s energy sector, offering to redirect exports through China and limit contacts with Iranian and Russian companies.
However, in early October, Trump rejected these offers, accelerating U.S.
military buildup in the region.
Military planners foresee that, should Maduro be overthrown, Chevron would be best positioned to exploit Venezuela’s oil wealth.
As part of the buildup, the U.S.
has intensified regional presence, signaling readiness for possible operations, with the U.S.
President keeping military options open while officially denying any immediate plans for strikes.