The “maximum pressure” strategy of the Donald Trump government on Caracas has crossed a new threshold. During a recent intervention on a New York podcast hosted by businessman John Catsimatidis, the US president assured that his country’s military forces dealt a “very hard blow” by destroying a large-scale logistics plant located on the Venezuelan coast.

From maritime blockade to land action

Until a few days ago, the US military campaign – called by some sectors as Operation Southern Lance – had been limited to interceptions in international waters and the destruction of more than 30 vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific. However, Trump’s statements suggest that the Department of Defense has already begun carrying out surgical operations on solid ground.

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“We have just destroyed a large plant where the ships come from. Two nights ago we dealt them a decisive blow,” declared the president, although without specifying whether the operation was aerial, naval or by special forces.

A strategic silence

Despite the presidential announcement, the Pentagon and the CIA have maintained absolute secrecy, avoiding confirming the coordinates of the attack or the balance of damage. This lack of “official echo” contrasts with the administration’s usual rhetoric, suggesting that the operation could have been covert in nature before being revealed by Trump himself.

For its part, the Nicolás Maduro regime has repeatedly denounced the presence of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford and other combat units near its territorial waters, describing them as a “direct threat to sovereignty.”

Uncertainty scenario

The confirmation of this attack occurs in a context of very high volatility. Following the recent imposition of a total blockade on sanctioned oil tankers and the increase in the reward for Maduro’s capture to $50 million, international analysts warn that the United States could be setting the stage for further escalation.

Asked if the ultimate goal is the overthrow of the Venezuelan government, Trump was ambiguous but blunt: “Probably yes, but that depends on him (Maduro).” For now, the destruction of this port facility marks the most critical point in a confrontation that seems to have definitively abandoned diplomatic channels.