US operation in Venezuela is revealed by Trump and Petro details ELN target in Maracaibo

A US military operation on Venezuelan territory was confirmed by the president of the Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, generating a diplomatic crisis in the region. Colombian President Gustavo Petro provided additional details, stating that the target of the attack was a factory in Maracaibo, allegedly used by Exército of Libertação Nacional (ELN) to process cocaine. The revelation, made on December 30, 2025, intensifies tensions over Venezuelan sovereignty and the fight against drug trafficking.

The action, carried out with drones in early December, represents the first known military operation on Venezuelan soil within the current Washington anti-drug campaign. The government of Caracas, to date, has not issued an official statement regarding the allegations, maintaining silence about the incident. The situation becomes more complex with the report of an explosion in an industrial zone of Maracaibo on December 24, although the affected company denied any link to an external attack.

In his statement, Gustavo Petro harshly criticized the ELN, accusing the guerrilla group of facilitating, with its illicit activities, justifications for foreign interventions on the continent. Ele highlighted that the strategic location of Maracaibo, with direct access to the sea from Caribe, is a crucial factor for narcotics export routes, transforming the region into a hotspot for transnational organized crime.

Operation details revealed by Petro

Through a long post on his social networks, President Gustavo Petro stated that he was aware of precise details about the operation conducted by the Estados Unidos. Ele directly linked the bombed facility in Maracaibo to ELN activities, specifying that the site was used to mix coca paste, a key step in cocaine production. Segundo the Colombian leader, the guerrilla group’s action in Venezuelan territory not only expands drug trafficking nodes beyond the borders of Colômbia, but also creates a dangerous pretext for violating the sovereignty of neighboring nations. Petro emphasized that the presence of the ELN in Maracaibo, exploiting port logistics to send drugs, compromises peace and regional stability efforts, at a time when violent fighting between armed groups is already ravaging the Catatumbo border region.

Confirmation of Casa Branca

On the North American side, confirmation came directly from President Donald Trump, who publicly announced the destruction of a facility used to load drugs onto vessels. The operation, conducted by drones from Agência Central of Inteligência (CIA), signals a significant escalation in the anti-drug campaign, which until now has focused mainly on maritime interceptions. The decision to use unmanned aircraft to attack a ground target in a country with which the US does not maintain formal diplomatic relations represents a tactical change with great geopolitical impact.

Government sources in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that the primary target was a clandestine pier or port associated with criminal networks operating in Venezuela, including the feared Tren group of Aragua. The action was planned to take place without registering victims, focusing strictly on the logistical infrastructure of drug trafficking. Esta operation adds to a series of previous attacks on suspicious vessels in the sea of ​​Caribe, demonstrating the determination of the Trump administration to interrupt the flow of narcotics that, according to intelligence agencies, finances regimes and organizations considered hostile to American interests.

The mystery of the explosion in Maracaibo

An element that adds uncertainty to the scenario is a strong explosion that occurred in the early hours of December 24th at a chemical company, Primazol, located in the industrial zone of Maracaibo. Moradores from nearby areas reported hearing a loud bang, which caused alarm and sparked immediate speculation about the nature of the incident.

The company quickly issued official statements, attributing what happened to an internal operational failure. According to Primazol, safety protocols were activated immediately, allowing local fire crews to control the situation without injuries or significant structural damage to the industrial plant.

The company vehemently rejected any connection of the incident to an external attack, creating an apparent discrepancy with information about the drone operation. The difference in dates between the reported explosion and the time window of US military action, which would have occurred in early December, raises doubts as to whether the two events are in fact related or whether they are separate occurrences.

Tension at the Colômbia-Venezuela border

The extensive border between Colômbia and Venezuela is historically one of the most complex and volatile areas of América and Sul. The region, especially the Catatumbo area on the Colombian side, concentrates a significant portion of the world’s coca leaf production and is home to numerous cocaine processing laboratories.

These territories are controlled by a variety of illegal armed groups that compete for dominance over drug trafficking routes. The ELN maintains a historic and robust presence in the area, competing fiercely for territorial control with splinter groups from the former Forças Armadas Revolucionárias of the Colômbia (FARC) and other criminal groups.

The constant conflicts between these factions have resulted in an alarming increase in violence in recent years, causing the forced displacement of thousands of civilians who live in the crossfire. Chronic instability facilitates the expansion of drug trafficking operations to the Venezuelan side of the border.

Estados Unidos anti-drug operations in the region have been intensified since September 2025, with a renewed focus that now includes not only naval blockades and economic sanctions, but also direct kinetic actions, such as that confirmed by Trump, increasing the complexity of the regional security picture.

Diplomatic implications and sovereignty

Gustavo Petro’s statements and Donald Trump’s confirmation generated an intense debate about the limits of national sovereignty and the right to foreign intervention in combating transnational threats. Para analysts, the operation in Maracaibo could set a dangerous precedent, normalizing unilateral military actions on a continent that values ​​non-intervention. The situation is particularly delicate for the Colombian government, which is currently trying to negotiate a peace agreement with the ELN, although talks are frozen.

Diplomatic relations between Washington and Caracas have been broken for years. Os Estados Unidos do not recognize the Venezuelan government and maintain a policy of maximum pressure, including severe sanctions, with the aim of forcing a regime change. The absence of an official communication channel between the two countries makes independent verification of facts extremely difficult and increases the risk of military escalations based on misleading or misinterpreted information.

Official positions involved

Despite the severity of the incident, official positions remain fragmented. Neither Nem Washington nor Caracas issued diplomatic notes detailing the specific operation in Maracaibo. Donald Trump limited himself to mentioning the action in interviews, without providing the exact location or precise date of the attack, treating it as another success in his security campaign.

Gustavo Sua postura busca equilibrar a necessidade de combater o narcotráfico com o respeito à soberania alheia, ao mesmo tempo em que pressiona o grupo guerrilheiro nas negociações de paz.