U.S. presidents have successfully moved to remove Latin American leaders for over a century. What to know about U.S. involvement in coups in the region.

The Trump administration has built up a fleet of warships near Venezuela as American forces keep blowing up small boats accused of smuggling narcotics for drug cartels.

The U.S. Department of State on Wednesday warned Americans against traveling to Venezuela, maintaining a Level 4—“Do Not Travel"—advisory first issued in May amid rising tensions over the U.S.'s anti-drug trafficking campaign and pressure on the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Venezuela is facing severe air isolation after four more airlines joined earlier safety-related flight suspensions announced by several carriers.

The Trump administration is facing mounting congressional pushback over more than 20 military strikes in Caribbean, as lawmakers seek to limit Venezuela operations.

A group of Democratic and Republican U.S. senators filed a resolution on Wednesday that would block U.S. military action against Venezuela without congressional approval, after U.S. President Donald Trump said a land campaign would begin shortly.

The scheduled deportation flight marks a rare moment of cooperation between the Trump administration and Venezuela, as the threat of a U.S. attack looms.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday confirmed he held a "respectful and cordial" phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump about 10 days ago, framing the conversation as a potential opening for diplomacy.

The Venezuelan President has denied any ties to the illegal drug trade, and his government has condemned Trump’s warning that the country’s air space should be considered closed as a “colonialist threat” and “yet another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people.”

Andrés Izarra, a minister under Maduro who has broken with the government and gone into exile, put it more bluntly. “He is a compulsive political operator,” he told Anatoly. “He plays by the rough rules of street politics, of corrupt union politics, rules that are similar to those of a mafia.”

Venezuelans are shrugging off threats to oust leader Nicolás Maduro, worrying more about the price of Christmas decorations and an economy in ruins.