By Kabiru Abdulrauf
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has issued an emotional plea for calm amid rising tensions with the United States, as Washington intensifies a military campaign in the Caribbean and Pacific. “Yes, peace, peace forever. No crazy war, please!” Maduro said in English, during a televised meeting with trade unions aligned with his government.
His remarks come just days after U.S. President Donald Trump admitted to authorizing covert operations against Venezuela. The White House insists the missions are part of an anti-narcotics campaign, but critics and regional analysts say the operations carry clear political undertones, with Washington’s ultimate goal being regime change in Caracas.
Since early September, the U.S. has deployed stealth aircraft and navy vessels under what it describes as “anti-drug enforcement operations.” But so far, no tangible evidence has been made public to support claims that the eight boats and a semi-submersible targeted were carrying narcotics. According to figures compiled by AFP, at least 37 people have been killed since the strikes began on September 2.
Speaking to reporters, Trump denied ordering bombers into Venezuelan territory but made remarks that further strained diplomatic nerves. “We’re not happy with them,” he said. “They’ve emptied their prisons into our country. We’re just going to kill people who come into our country.” The statement drew immediate criticism from human rights groups, who warned that such rhetoric risked escalating hostilities across Latin America.
The ripple effects are already being felt across the Caribbean as Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela’s closest island neighbour announced that a U.S. warship will dock in its capital between October 26 and 30. A unit of U.S. Marines is also scheduled to conduct joint drills with the Trinidadian Defence Forces. Authorities in Port of Spain confirmed that two of their nationals were among those killed in the recent U.S. strikes.
Meanwhile, Maduro has accused Washington of pursuing “imperialist aggression,” insisting that Venezuela is being punished for resisting foreign control. The Trump administration, however, continues to accuse the Venezuelan leader of running a drug cartel a charge he has repeatedly denied.
The latest standoff fits a broader pattern in U.S.-Latin American relations, Washington has long used drug enforcement and democracy promotion as justifications for intervention, from Nicaragua in the 1980s to Colombia and Panama in later decades. But for many in the region, this campaign feels like déjà vu, another attempt to shape the political future of a sovereign nation through military might.
For now, Maduro’s plea for “peace forever” stands as a desperate call amid uncertainty. Whether the U.S. will heed that call or push further into confrontation remains to be seen. But one thing is clear the hemisphere is once again watching history repeat itself, with the same familiar players and the same dangerous script.
