U.S. military forces have deployed to waters off Venezuela for a counternarcotics mission.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro gestures after marking his ballot during municipal elections in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 27, 2025. AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez

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Venezuela released a group of 13 political prisoners on Aug. 24, as the Trump administration stepped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
The move came amid escalating tensions between Caracas and Washington, and U.S. military forces have deployed to waters off the coast of the South American nation in what officials described as a counternarcotics mission.

Bill Pan is an Epoch Times reporter covering education issues and New York news.