The United States hasn’t launched an official Latin American invasion since the Cold War, but if Donald Trump has his way, that might change. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared on national TV last night, as he basically pleaded with Trump not to send ground troops. He warned of a “crazy war” if Washington decides to go ahead. His address came after Trump reportedly greenlit covert action in the country and claimed it was part of his crackdown on drug trafficking. But analysts say a US invasion can be apocalyptic.
According to a report from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), a military invasion of Venezuela would need “100,000-plus [troops].” For context, that’s the size of the entire US force at the peak of the Iraq War. And unlike Grenada or Panama, this country is twice the size of Iraq, with a population of nearly 30 million and a government on edge.
Maduro warned that any U.S. military action would trigger an armed civilian uprising. He vowed, “You will see the greatest shield this country has — the working class. If [US] make a move they’ll see millions of men and women with rifles [who would defend Venezuela].
The CFR report points out that around 100,000 Venezuelans are already armed and organized into neighborhood militias known as “colectivos.” These groups are loyal to the government. Add to that broken hospitals, unreliable power grids, and underfunded schools — leaving little for U.S. troops to inherit. Venezuela’s infrastructure has “been devastated,” so America would either have to fix it or lose control. In short, it’s about surviving the aftermath of “winning” the war.
🔵 According to CNN, Trump is considering plans aimed at striking cocaine production facilities and narcotics-trafficking routes inside Venezuela — “Plans for military operations on Venezuelan territory are on the table,” a senior White House official told the publication pic.twitter.com/RI2rJMmsez
— NSTRIKE (@NSTRIKE01) October 25, 2025
Despite the warnings, Trump appears more defiant than ever. Speaking to the US Navy last week, he claimed, “They’re not coming in by sea anymore, so now we’ll have to start looking about the land.”
Within days, military watchers spotted two B-1 Lancer bombers leaving Texas and flying to the Caribbean to skirt Venezuela’s coastline. A US official later confirmed it was a “training flight.” But the CFR warned in 2018 that any American boots on Venezuelan soil would likely strengthen Maduro’s grip. The potential invasion would “legitimize” his claims of US imperialism.
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So while Trump’s war may sound tough (at least to him) in press speeches, experts say the blowback could be disastrous. Washington’s image in Latin America would suffer, and soldiers would be caught in the middle of a war that no one asked for. Now, obviously, this wouldn’t be a quick in-and-out operation. The US could find itself stuck in Venezuela for years if it tries to rebuild it while facing hostile locals and an enraged international community. It would be a bit like Iraq, but with worse infrastructure and angrier neighbors/president.
In short, the U.S. might win the invasion — but lose the occupation. And for a country haunted by Afghanistan and Iraq, that’s not a gamble anyone would want to make. For now, the bombers returned home, and Maduro’s rifles remain (mostly) on their racks.
But this isn’t over. How far will Trump really go?
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