GOP Senator Says Maduro's 'Reign Of Terror' Is Over: 'I Don't Think He'll Finish The Year'

Republican Senator Bernie Moreno said the "reign of terror" of Venezuelan authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro is close to ending, and that he believes he won't be in power by the end of the year.

Moreno made the claim when speaking to Colombian outlet La W, country in which he was born and where he went to attend the funeral of Miguel Uribe Turbay, a former opposition presidential candidate who died this week after being shot at a rally months ago.

The statement came as the U.S. began deploying air and naval forces to the Southern Caribbean Sea to counter what officials describe as threats from Latin American drug cartels designated as global terrorist organizations.

The move follows a reported order from President Donald Trump, which directed the Pentagon last week to prepare options for military action against them.

"This deployment is aimed at addressing threats to U.S. national security from specially designated narco-terrorist organizations in the region," one source told Reuters.

In February, the Trump administration designated Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, and other groups as foreign terrorist organizations. More recently, the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles was added to the list, with the administration alleging it is led by President Nicolás Maduro and senior members of his government.

The United States also recently doubled its reward for information leading to Mr. Maduro's arrest to $50 million, citing drug trafficking charges.

Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio described Maduro earlier this week as "the head of a drug-trafficking logistics organization, the Cartel of the Suns, which is basically run by the military," warning that "at some point we have to take these people on with more than just rewards."

Maduro, in turn, issued a warning against the Trump administration. Joined by political leaders and army chiefs, Maduro said "don't you dare." "Don't you dare because the answer can be the end of the U.S. empire. Leave alone those who are alone. I am a man of peace," he added.

Moreover, Diosdado Cabello, the minister of Justice and Peace in Venezuela, read on air a letter claiming that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is spearheading an initiative to topple it.

Speaking during his weekly show "Con el Mazo," Cabello read a letter from an alleged viewer who claimed that "Rubio is moving forward with his attempt to organize an Operation Gedeon 2.0," a reference to a failed incursion by a group of former military members to enter into Venezuela.

"He needs to give (Trump) a victory so he supports him as presidential or vice presidential candidate in 2028. In the meantime they even have a department to design false flag operations. They are coming for a war of attrition against our people while they try to seduce our military leaders with villas and castles," reads a passage of the alleged letter.

"Several groups inside and outside Venezuela think they can push for paramilitary actions. What they don't imagine is that they are surrounded," it adds.