The United States’ military operation in Venezuela is the largest in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, a conflict analyst has said.
Tiziano Breda, a senior analyst at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Organisation, said the operation marked a sharp escalation in Washington’s pressure on President Nicolás Maduro.
Breda told Al Jazeera that the action followed months of US measures over alleged links between Maduro’s government and drug trafficking.
He said the steps included strikes on suspected smuggling vessels and actions against several oil tankers.
According to him, the measures failed to weaken Maduro’s inner circle, forcing Washington to shift from maritime operations to direct action on Venezuelan territory.
Breda said the next phase would depend largely on the response of Venezuela’s government and its armed forces.
“So far, they’ve avoided direct confrontation with US forces, but deployments on the streets point to efforts to contain unrest,” he said.
He warned that a smooth political transition was unlikely, citing the risk of resistance from pro-regime armed groups.
These groups, he added, include elements within the Venezuelan military and Colombian rebel networks operating in the country.
The situation remains fluid, with fears that any miscalculation could deepen instability in the oil-rich South American nation.
