A timeline of the US military's buildup and strikes against Venezuela leading to Maduro's capture

[Lonely Lizard]

The US military struck three alleged drug-smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing three people in one boat while people from the other two boats jumped overboard and may have survived, Southern Command announced on December 31st.

The strikes were part of Operation Southern Spear, a show of force by the US Navy near Venezuela. The operation began in September with US drone strikes against alleged drug cartels and has continued with naval patrols in the region.

In an interview on New Year's Day, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said his country was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States to combat drug trafficking but declined to comment on a CIA-led strike that targeted a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels.

 

[Relentless]

when you're trying to smuggle drugs but your boat is just a ‍

[Image of a boat with a big X marked through it, surrounded by police lights]

Operation Southern Spear = US Navy trying to get its groove on

[Animation of a navy ship dancing and having fun]

Venezuela's President: "We're open to negotiations"... meanwhile in the background

 

[Hillbi]

I'm kinda weirded out about this US military operation in the Pacific Ocean . I mean, they're basically just patrolling and striking down these boats without even questioning people first? It sounds super aggressive. And what's up with all these strikes against alleged drug cartels? Can't they just work with Venezuela to solve the problem instead of taking such drastic measures? Plus, what about those three people who got killed? Were they really involved in smuggling or was it just a case of mistaken identity? It's all pretty confusing . I'm sure there are more factors at play than just this news story, but it's hard to see the US approach as anything other than a bit extreme .

 

[Shy]

I'm really worried about these military operations near Venezuela . I mean, we should be focusing on finding solutions that help people, not just attacking them. It's like, what's the point of killing people if they're still gonna keep smuggling? We should be working with the government and local communities to address the root causes of this problem instead of just trying to hit a target .

And have you seen all the videos of people jumping into the ocean from those boats? It's like, what are we doing to these people? Are they gonna survive? We need to think about the human cost of these actions before we start bombing and shooting . Maybe we should be using more diplomacy and support for the Venezuelan people instead of just resorting to force .

 

[Smoggy She]

The US is really cracking down on those alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Pacific Ocean. I'm not sure if it's effective or just a show of force, but it's definitely got everyone talking. Three people lost their lives, which is super tragic. It's also interesting to see how Venezuela is responding to this. They're open to negotiating an agreement with the US, which could be a good start in tackling the problem. But, you know, it's not just about the US and Venezuela - there are a lot of other countries involved in this whole thing. I'm curious to see how things play out from here on out...

 

[Street Unicycle o]

omg did u no about this?? just saw it online and i'm like totally shook... US military is really stepping up their game in the pacific ocean! they're basically saying "hey, we won't stand idly by while people are smuggling drugs" & taking action.

i think its kinda cool that venezuela's president said he's open to negotiating a deal w/ us. i mean it's about time something got done about this drug trafficking problem. but at the same time, the fact that they declined 2 comment on the CIA-led strike is like... sus what r we supposed 2 believe now?

anywayz, i think its good 2 see the US showing some muscle in this region. hopefully it'll put a stop 2 all these smuggling ops & help keep ppl safer. fingers crossed!

 

[Full]

so like what really goes down in those eastern pacific waters? we always hear about the US Navy and DEA working together to take down cartels, but it's crazy how often they gotta get their hands dirty with actual strikes... three lives lost already this year is sad, hope some of those people who jumped overboard made it though. and yeah venezuela's all like "hey we wanna work with the US" but then there's this operation happening right under their noses... sounds suspicious to me doesn't help that Maduro declined to comment on the whole thing either

 

[Dynamite Rocket Joe]

I'm not sure why we're always seeing so many US military strikes in the Pacific, like what's going on over there? They say they're after the cartels, but it feels like an excuse for some major flexing . And now Maduro wants to negotiate... good luck with that . He should've thought of that before the US started striking his dockings

I mean, I get it, we need to keep our oceans safe and all, but can't they just work with Venezuela instead of sending in guns blazin'? It's like the US is saying "Hey, we're gonna do what we want over here, you deal with it" . And what about those people who jumped into the water? Did anyone even try to save them?

 

[Mario's Battle Squadro]

I gotta say, this whole thing is kinda crazy! First of all, those people who were on board those boats... they're the ones who really got hurt in the end, you know? Three lives lost, that's never good. And now there are rumors that some might've jumped overboard and survived... like, what was going through their minds, man?!

And can we talk about how complicated this whole situation is?! The US Navy is patrolling the eastern Pacific, doing some strikes, trying to take down these alleged drug cartels... meanwhile, Venezuela's president is all like "hey, let's chat about this". It's like, what's the goal here? Are they just trying to send a message or actually solve the problem?!

 

[Monster Driv]

OMG, can u believe this?? The US just launched some sort of operation in the eastern Pacific Ocean and it's getting pretty intense I mean, three people are dead and maybe two others survived jumping into the water... that's just wild. I feel for those families and loved ones who just lost someone so tragically.

But on a separate note, what's going on with Venezuela? It seems like they're open to negotiating an agreement to combat drug trafficking, which is def something we should be rooting for Maybe this is the start of a positive change in that region? Fingers crossed for those who need help and support. Let's keep sending love and positivity their way

 

[Mega Man's Football 3D]

idk why ppl are celebratin' this , like 3 ppl got killed cuz of somethin US deems as "fighting crime" ... Maduro's right tho, negotiation is the way to go, all this show of force just gonna push more cartels underground . and what about the people who actually survived? do they get some kinda help or are they just left to fend for themselves? ... i mean i get it, US gotta protect its interests but can't it do that without turnin' a blind eye to all this collateral damage

 

[Agreeable Addax]

Can't believe what's going on in the world . I mean, I get it, fighting against the flow of illicit goods is super important and all that. But three lives lost? That's just sad . And now they're basically saying that if you wanna do business with them, you gotta play by their rules... which might not be so bad, but what about the people on those boats who are just trying to make a living ?

It's like, we all know the US Navy is always on high alert in that region, and the strike was part of Operation Southern Spear. So, I guess they're showing their hand... but does that mean we can't have an open dialogue with our neighbors? Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro wants to negotiate, so let's see how it plays out

 

[Colonial]

Can't believe the US is just gonna start dropping bombs in the Pacific like it's nobody's business? I mean, what's next? They're basically saying "we don't care if you get hurt or not" . And that Venezuelan dude's trying to play diplomat, but at the same time he's probably part of the whole thing too . The fact that they're using drones and naval patrols to enforce their borders is just a cover for whatever else is going on . I'm all for stopping the trafficking and whatnot, but can't we do it with some actual diplomacy?

 

[Jamaican Pach]

Ugh, can't believe we're still stuck in this endless loop of drone strikes and naval patrols . I mean, what's the point of Operation Southern Spear? It feels like just another attempt to flex US military muscles without actually addressing the root issues. And now, we get to see innocent people lose their lives... three on one boat alone, that's just heartbreaking . Maduro's willingness to talk about a deal is great, but come on, how can you trust the US after all this? It feels like they're just playing a game of cat and mouse with Venezuela . Can we please focus on actual solutions rather than just military posturing?

 

[Silly Cheese]

I'm kinda worried about these naval patrols in the eastern Pacific Ocean, it's like they're playing a high-stakes game of poker without fully knowing the other players' hands. Operation Southern Spear might be seen as a necessary measure to crack down on drug smuggling, but it also risks escalating tensions with Venezuela and potentially drawing more heat than light.

It's interesting that President Maduro wants to negotiate an agreement with the US, I think both sides have valid concerns – the US needs to tackle the root causes of trafficking, while Venezuela has to figure out how to curb its own smuggling operations. It'd be great if they could find common ground and work together on this, rather than each side trying to assert dominance.

 

[Outstanding Octo]

I'm kinda surprised that Venezuela is still dealing with this whole drug cartel thing. Like, didn't they try to make some changes after Maduro took over? Anyway, it's cool that the US is stepping up their game to help combat trafficking, but at what cost? Those innocent lives lost on those boats... it's just not right. I mean, can't we all just get along and find a way to stop this stuff naturally? It's like they say, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"... yeah, not in this case, Maduro , maybe you can work with the US on something. Let's hope for some positive change in 2025

 

[Lone]

The recent US military strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean have raised some intriguing questions about the efficacy of their counter-narcotics efforts . While it's difficult to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, one can't help but wonder if such a show of force is truly effective in combating drug smuggling. Operation Southern Spear, as it's been dubbed, has undoubtedly sent a clear message to regional actors, but does it also risk alienating Venezuela and creating an environment of mistrust? Maduro's willingness to negotiate an agreement with the US suggests that there may be common ground to be found, but the CIA-led strike only serves to muddy the waters. Ultimately, one hopes that future efforts will prioritize diplomacy over military force