Republican Sen. Rick Scott warned Sunday that Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro should “head to China or Russia,” saying “something is going to happen” as the Trump administration ratchets up military pressure on Caracas.
“If I were Maduro, I’d head to Russia or China right now,” Scott told CBS News’ “60 Minutes.” “His days are numbered. Something is going to happen.” Asked whether the United States was on the verge of invading Venezuela, Scott said he doubted it: “I don’t think so. If we do, I’d be surprised.”
Scott’s comments came amid an unprecedented U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean and off the coast of Venezuela that has included long-range bomber flights, the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group, and repeated strikes on vessels the administration says were linked to drug trafficking. The U.S. has said it has struck at least 10 suspected drug boats since September, and officials say the operations have killed dozens of people, at least 43, according to U.S. counts cited by lawmakers.
US President Donald Trump is set to decide on granting land strikes in Venezuela after his Asian tour
Senator Lindsey Graham told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that President Donald Trump plans to brief members of Congress on potential military operations in Latin America and that “land strikes are a real possibility.” Graham said the president would convene lawmakers on the subject after returning from Asia.
The Trump administration has framed the campaign as a fight against “narco-terrorism,” accusing transnational criminal groups and, at times, the Maduro government itself of facilitating drug flows to the United States. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other administration officials have publicly defended the strikes and the expanded presence of U.S. forces, which now include the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, B-52 and B-1 bomber operations, F-35 fighters, drones, and a task force of ships and marines.
Critics in Congress have pressed for more information and questioned the legal basis for the strikes. Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that the administration “could not give us a logical explanation on how this is legal” and described a briefing for lawmakers as unsatisfactory. Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, said the strikes amount to “extrajudicial killings” and argued such actions are typically law-enforcement matters.
Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro has mobilized forces and civilian militias across the coast as a response to increased US activity
The increased U.S. activity has escalated tensions across the region. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused Washington of “fabricating a war” and has mobilized forces and civilian militias along the country’s coast. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has accused the U.S. of staging a “false flag” to provoke conflict, and Caracas has moved to suspend energy cooperation with nearby Trinidad and Tobago, Reuters reported after a U.S. warship docked in the country.
U.S. officials and military analysts have characterized recent flights and exercises as demonstrations of capability and intent. Two B-1 bombers took off from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and flew near Venezuelan airspace last week, according to a U.S. official and flight-tracking data. The Pentagon says the aircraft remained in international airspace.
Administration supporters say the stepped-up posture is necessary to disrupt criminal networks that traffic illicit drugs into the United States. Opponents contend the strikes and the military buildup risk broader conflict, could violate international law, and may lack sufficient evidence publicly tying the targeted vessels to narcotics trafficking.
The Trump administration has yet to release evidence linking the struck vessels to drug shipments
The White House has not publicly released detailed evidence linking the struck boats to drug shipments; some lawmakers have said they were shown material by the administration, but remain unconvinced about the legal rationale for lethal strikes without a broader congressional authorization.
As tensions rise, lawmakers from both parties are debating whether Congress should assert its authority over decisions that could expand military action in the region. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Maduro says the U.S. is trying to directly topple his government.
Graham said he supported the idea of a briefing and indicated he believes the president already has the authority to act; others have pushed for more formal oversight.