Venezuela’s president took a swipe at Trump over escalating attacks on alleged drug-running boats in the Caribbean.

Venezuela has 5,000 Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles in “key air defense positions,” its President Nicolás Maduro claimed on Wednesday, amid growing tension over the United States’ military deployment in the Caribbean.

Venezuelan government officials floated a plan in which President Nicolás Maduro would eventually leave office, a bid aimed at easing mounting U.S. pressure on the government in Caracas.

President Donald Trump's comments came as he confirmed reports Maduro put forth a proposal that would allow the U.S. to tap into Venezuela's natural resources.

President Trump confirmed this week that he has authorized the CIA to go into Venezuela and conduct covert operations.

By speaking openly about authorising a “covert” CIA operation against the regime, Donald Trump is fanning the flames

Trump administration escalates pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro through Caribbean naval deployment and cartel strikes in what analysts call modern gunboat diplomacy.

President Trump said six "narcoterrorists" were killed in the latest strike, bringing the number of people killed in such attacks since September to at least 27.

Venezuela’s autocrat had proposed allocating his country’s oil wealth and other natural resources to the U.S. and ending deals with American adversaries to appease President Trump.

Even with U.S. warships offshore, the strongman has prevailed in efforts to unseat him—purging, spying and paying off officers so the armed forces remain loyal.

The USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying ships were previously off the coast of Israel in the eastern Mediterranean.