Maduro is playing with fire and has launched a military provocation against the United States.

Tensions between the United States and Venezuela escalated this week after two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets, armed and displaying an intimidating posture, flew over the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham in the southern Caribbean Sea.

The maneuver, which took place in international waters, was interpreted by the Pentagon as a "show of force" by the terrorist regime ofNicolás Maduro, in response to a recent U.S. military operation that eliminated 11 members of the criminal group Tren de Aragua.

The U.S. vessel, part of a fleet deployed by the Trump administration as part of a large-scale operation against drug trafficking, did not respond militarily to the flyover. However, the Department of Defense described the Venezuelan action as "highly provocative" and warned that the "cartel led by Venezuela" must not interfere with U.S. counternarcotics and counterterrorism operations.

The situation is unfolding after President Donald Trump signed a directive last month authorizing the use of military force against Latin American cartels that his administration has designated as terrorist organizations. Among these, the Cártel de los Soles stands out, led by Maduro and members of his military and political inner circle.

In a forceful message on social media, Trump confirmed that the attack on the boat, recorded on video and shared on his Truth Social account, killed 11 drug traffickers belonging to Tren de Aragua. According to the president, the group had departed from Venezuela and was operating in international waters. "CAUTION! Let this serve as a warning to those who attempt to bring drugs to the United States," Trump wrote.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke out, stating that years of seizures have not deterred the cartels, and that the only thing that will stop these groups is "blowing them up." Meanwhile, Maduro replied with statements accusing Rubio of pushing him toward war, while declaring a state of maximum military alert in Venezuela.

These actions reflect the degree of institutional deterioration and international isolation of Maduro's regime, which continues to resort to a rhetoric of confrontation and victimhood, while facing growing accusations of leading a network of drug trafficking and corruption. Since 2020, the U.S. government has formally accused Maduro of narcoterrorism, and this year increased the reward to 50 million dollars for information leading to his capture.

Despite Chavismo's attempts to project strength, as evidenced by the low-altitude flights over U.S. vessels, international analysts view these actions as desperate acts of a cornered regime, more focused on its political survival than on resolving the humanitarian and economic crisis facing the country.

Maduro's strategy appears to focus on essentializing the conflict with the United States to distract from internal problems and unify his base with nationalist rhetoric.