The U.S.’s top military officer will visit Puerto Rico today as a U.S. Navy warship dispatches to the Caribbean. The visit by General Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, comes as the Trump administration is set to formally designate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his government allies as members of a foreign terrorist organization, “Cártel de los Soles.” The entity is not actually a cartel and is instead a reference to military officers and officials allegedly involved in corruption and other illegal activities in Venezuela. Reuters is reporting that the U.S. is also considering a new phase of covert operations in Venezuela. It would be a major escalation after U.S. airstrikes on alleged drug boats in recent weeks have killed more than 80 people. Meanwhile, six airlines have canceled their flights to Venezuela, after the Federal Aviation Administration warned of a “worsening security situation” and “heightened military activity” in the region.
