The Caribbean basin has entered a period of heightened geopolitical tension as the United States dramatically expands its military operations aimed at disrupting narcotics trafficking networks linked to Venezuela. What began as an intensified counter-drug campaign has evolved into a broader show of force, raising questions across the region about whether Washington is pursuing deterrence, coercive leverage, or preparing the ground for a more consequential military confrontation with Nicolás Maduro’s increasingly authoritarian government. According to recent reports, President Donald Trump has additionally authorized the CIA to carry out operations inside Venezuela-- an action that further increases regional concerns about covert escalation pathways and the risk of retaliatory spirals.