CaliToday (25/11/2025): Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has asserted that the Trump administration’s intensified military campaign in the Caribbean is far more than a sporadic series of attacks on drug vessels it is a critical component of a broader, aggressive strategy to re-establish security and counter hostile foreign influence in the Western Hemisphere.
Pompeo’s comments on Fox News came as the commanding general of U.S. forces visited troops in Puerto Rico, underscoring the seriousness of the ongoing initiative known as Operation Southern Spear.
Operation Southern Spear: More Than Just Drug Interdiction
Speaking with Martha MacCallum, Pompeo strongly affirmed the strategic vision behind the White House’s actions.
“I am confident that this administration understands full well that this is part of a much bigger picture,” Pompeo stated.
While the White House has yet to issue a formal statement on Operation Southern Spear—a campaign described as the largest in the region since the Cuban Missile Crisis—the action has involved over 20 precise strikes on drug vessels allegedly operated by designated terrorist organizations. Videos released by U.S. Southern Command have shown American forces executing precision attacks on drug ships tied to identified terrorist operations in the Pacific.
Pompeo referenced the strong message posted by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on November 13, which explicitly declared the operation aims to eliminate "narcoterrorists" from the Western Hemisphere.
The Strategic Focus: Removing Hostile Influence
When pressed on whether President Trump aims to actively overthrow the regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, Pompeo clarified that the administration’s focus is on a broader strategic goal: ending the influence of Russia, Cuba, and China in the region.
He stressed that the ultimate objective is to give the Venezuelan people a chance to live under a government that protects them and guides the country out of its profound crisis.
"Maduro is being propped up by hostile regimes right in our backyard," Pompeo emphasized, confirming that a leadership change in Venezuela remains a key strategic preoccupation for Washington.
A Door to Change?
The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier to the region has already provoked Maduro to accuse President Trump of attempting to "create a new permanent war." Pompeo dismissed this, arguing that such sustained pressure is essential.
He acknowledged that the Trump administration did not succeed in toppling Maduro during its first term, but insisted the current context is different, suggesting the Venezuelan opposition is "prepared to do more."
Pompeo concluded with an optimistic note regarding geopolitical shifts: "When you least expect it, sometimes it happens." He believes that Venezuelan opposition leaders are currently seeing "an open window," and with sufficient and consistent U.S. pressure, a decisive turning point may be imminent.