Tensions between the United States and Venezuela are surging as President Donald Trump signals that operations against alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers could soon expand "by land." Washington has already carried out more than 20 deadly maritime strikes since September, prompting criticism from regional governments that accuse the US of extrajudicial killings. The Trump administration has now designated the alleged Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organisation, a move Caracas dismisses as a pretext for regime change. As US military assets intensify activity across the Caribbean, President Nicolas Maduro has delivered a fiery defence of Venezuelan territory, warning that the nation is prepared for whatever comes next.