Hawks on both sides have warned the US dispatch of three warships to patrol off the South American coast may be part of a regime-change operation – but is it?

Venezuela is sending troops to its border with Colombia to fight drug trafficking, amid mounting US pressure.

US warship presence is meant to target Latin American drug cartels, but Venezuela’s Maduro calls it a threat.

Hawks on both sides have warned the US dispatch of three warships to patrol off the South American coast may be part of a regime-change operation – but is it?

Opposition hopes high that US naval build-up against drug cartels could signal overthrow of Maduro