THE United States will soon begin to target alleged drug trafficking from Venezuela “by land,” US President Donald Trump said on Thursday.

The latest comments from the president follows weeks of a massive build up of US forces in the Caribbean region.

The US has also carried out more than 20 attacks on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in international waters killing at least 83 people.

The US has provided no verified evidence that Venezuela is involved in drug trafficking. This has prompted legal experts to describe the campaign of attacks as extrajudicial killings.

In a Thanksgiving holiday video address to US forces, Mr Trump said: “You really are the backbone of American air power, and in recent weeks, you’ve been working to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers, of which there are many.

“Of course, there aren’t too many coming in by sea any more and we’ll be starting to stop them by land also.

“The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro responded to the latest threat, saying: “For 17 weeks, foreign and imperialist forces have been continuously threatening to disrupt the peace of the Caribbean Sea, South America and Venezuela under false and extravagant arguments that no one believes.”

“Our people have prepared themselves to defend their homeland,” he said.