Venezuela Claims It Foiled CIA ‘False Flag’ Attack as US Deploys Bombers

In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the southern Caribbean, Venezuela claimed Monday to have uncovered and dismantled what it described as a CIA-financed plot aimed at staging a false-flag attack on a U.S. warship. The announcement comes amid increasing military presence and pressure from Washington in waters near the Venezuelan coast.

Venezuelan authorities said the alleged plot targeted the USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer that docked Sunday in Trinidad and Tobago, approximately 7 miles from Venezuela’s mainland. According to Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, the operation intended to attack the vessel and then frame Caracas for the assault.

“Four people were arrested,” Cabello stated, though he provided no further details about the alleged suspects or evidence supporting the claim. Venezuela has frequently announced the arrest of what it calls U.S.-backed mercenaries allegedly working to destabilize President Nicolas Maduro’s government, though such claims are often met with skepticism from international observers.

The arrival of the USS Gravely prompted immediate condemnation from Venezuelan officials, who characterized it as a “provocation” deliberately “aimed at provoking a war in the Caribbean.” The incident has further strained already fraught relations between Venezuela and neighboring Trinidad and Tobago.

In response to the warship’s presence, Maduro announced the suspension of a gas agreement with Trinidad and Tobago, accusing Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of transforming her country “into an aircraft carrier of the American empire against Venezuela.” Persad-Bissessar has been an outspoken critic of Maduro’s government and supports U.S. President Donald Trump’s military operations against drug trafficking in the Caribbean.

The USS Gravely represents just one component of a larger U.S. military buildup in the region. The Pentagon has deployed seven warships to the Caribbean and one to the Gulf of Mexico as part of what the Trump administration characterizes as an anti-narcotics campaign. Additionally, the U.S. has announced the imminent arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford—the world’s largest aircraft carrier—and its accompanying fleet.

Many regional analysts view these deployments as part of a broader strategy to increase pressure on the Maduro regime, which the United States does not recognize as legitimate. Trump recently acknowledged authorizing CIA operations in Venezuela and stated he was considering ground strikes, further fueling speculation about U.S. intentions.

Since September, U.S. forces have conducted operations resulting in the destruction of at least ten vessels they claimed were carrying narcotics, with 43 reported fatalities in international waters. These operations have raised significant legal questions among international law experts. Critics note that Washington has provided limited evidence beyond aerial footage to substantiate the connection between these vessels and drug trafficking.

The Venezuelan government’s claims about foiling a CIA plot come against the backdrop of a devastating economic crisis in the country, ongoing U.S. sanctions, and persistent allegations of human rights abuses by the Maduro administration. Venezuela has consistently blamed external forces, particularly the United States, for its domestic troubles.

The increasing militarization of the Caribbean represents a significant shift in regional dynamics and raises concerns about potential armed conflict. Diplomatic channels between Washington and Caracas remain severely limited, as the U.S. continues to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president.

Regional organizations and neighboring countries have expressed growing concern about the escalating tensions, fearing that miscalculations by either side could lead to unintended consequences in a region already facing significant economic and humanitarian challenges.