WASHINGTON: The US military announced on Sunday that an aircraft carrier strike group has entered the Caribbean, significantly increasing the American military presence near Venezuela. The move comes amid ongoing anti-drug trafficking operations and rising tensions with the Venezuelan government.
President Donald Trump has ordered a troop buildup in the region as part of a broader initiative to combat transnational criminal organizations and narco-terrorism. While US officials have framed the deployment as targeting drug traffickers, analysts say it also raises speculation about possible military action against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom Washington does not recognize as the country’s legitimate leader.
Deployment details
The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, the most technologically advanced US aircraft carrier group, is now operating in the Caribbean Sea, according to the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The strike group includes two guided-missile destroyers, support vessels, and aircraft, joining several other warships already in the region under the operation named “Operation Southern Spear.”
SOUTHCOM said the deployment follows Trump’s directive “to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland.” The Pentagon has emphasized that the strike group’s presence is part of ongoing anti-drug efforts rather than a direct confrontation with Venezuela.
Anti-trafficking campaign and casualties
Since the launch of the anti-drug military campaign in September, US forces have reportedly killed at least 80 individuals accused of drug trafficking in international waters, spanning the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The United States has released few details verifying the identities of those targeted. Experts and human rights observers have raised concerns that these operations may constitute extrajudicial killings, even if the targets were known traffickers.
Venezuela’s response
The military buildup has been perceived by Caracas as a direct threat. The US has previously issued a $50 million bounty for the capture of Maduro, citing his alleged leadership of a drug cartel. The increased naval presence in the Caribbean comes amid a broader US strategy to pressure Maduro’s government while reinforcing its anti-narcotics operations in the region.
Analysts say the arrival of the carrier strike group marks one of the most visible displays of US military power in the Caribbean in recent years and could heighten tensions with Venezuela and other regional actors.
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