Trump Officials Reportedly Considering Sending Special Forces To Venezuela To Try To Catch Or Kill Maduro

Trump administration officials are considering sending special forces to Venezuela to try to catch or kill authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro as the U.S. continues its military pressure campaign on the South American country, according to a new report.

The New York Times detailed that another plan involves capturing oil fields or critical infrastructure, but analysts and former Venezuelan officials said Russian weapons held by the regime increase the chances of casualties. However, they said, any air defense systems or fighter jets would be destroyed by precision strikes before any operation.

The Trump administration said this weekend it designated the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization, potentially paving the way for military strikes against regime officials accused of leading the organization.

The Department of State said in a statement that the designation will go into effect on November 24, adding that the organization is "headed by Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela's military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary."

"Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela's legitimate government. Cartel de los Soles by and with other designated FTOs including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel are responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe," the release adds.

It is the latest escalation in the Trump administration's pressure campaign against the regime. Last Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Operation Southern Spear, which is aimed at targeting "narco-terrorists" and defend "our homeland from the drugs that are killing our people."

Moreover, President Donald Trump was presented with an updated list of targets to strike Venezuela if he were to give the order, according to another report.

CBS News detailed that senior military officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented Trump with the options, which include strikes on land. No final decision has been made, the outlet noted.