As the world waits to see if Donald Trump will attack Venezuela, his top military adviser has visited the region where the US has gathered a huge military presence as pressure for Nicolás Maduro to quit reaches its highest point yet. 

Warships, aircraft and thousands of personnel have been moved into position over recent months, forming a deployment not seen since the US sent troops into Panama in 1989.

The build-up has raised fears that Washington may be preparing for military action after hostilities with Caracas reached an all-time high in recent months. 

Trump’s government has accused Maduro of leading and protecting a criminal network known as the ‘Cartel of the Suns’ and has offered $50million for information leading to his arrest. The cartel was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation yesterday. 

On Monday, Gen. Dan Caine, the US president’s primary military adviser, visited troops in Puerto Rico, where the US has been amassing its large fleet – roughly 500 miles from Venezuela. 

In a statement, Caine, who is also the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the purpose of his trip was to ‘engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions.’

This marks the second time he has visited the region since the US began building its military might – in September, he went to Puerto Rico with defence secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been providing Trump with various options for military operations in Venezuela. 

The shift in military posture has coincided with warnings from US officials that their operation is entering what they call a ‘new phase.’ 

Their comments came shortly before several airlines cancelled services to Venezuela after the US Federal Aviation Administration told civilian pilots to ‘exercise caution’ because of the ‘worsening security situation and heightened military activity’ in and around the country. 

In the past week, Navy vessels have been seen sailing increasingly closer to the South American nation.  

The new wave of deployments began in August with the arrival of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group. In October, the US announced that the 1106ft USS Gerald R Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, would also join the mission. 

The carrier reached Caribbean waters on November 11 with more than four thousand sailors, fighter jets and support vessels, including the USS Thomas Hudner, USS Rampage, and USS Normandy. 

The Ford brings with it F-35C stealth fighters, considered the world’s most advanced fighter to operate from a carrier deck. 

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