With recent strikes on Venezuelan drug-running vessels, President Donald Trump has deployed pressure on Caracas — and analysts argue the message is just as much aimed at Vladimir Putin as it is at the Venezuelan leadership.
The White House argues the operations target narcotics trafficking linked to the government of Nicolás Maduro. But supporters of the strategy say undermining Venezuela’s security infrastructure also chips away at Russia’s influence in Latin America — a region where Moscow has long cultivated allies.
Some foreign-policy experts suggest the dual purpose: disrupt illicit networks while signaling to Moscow that backing volatile regimes comes with costs. Given Russia’s deep involvement with Venezuela, they say each U.S. pressure move raises the stakes in broader powerplay between Washington and Moscow.