US Military Escalation Turns the Caribbean into a New Frontline Against Venezuela:

The Caribbean has become the center of a growing military confrontation as former US President Donald Trump’s campaign against what he calls “narcoterrorists” intensifies. Since August, Washington has deployed thousands of troops, warships, and aircraft across the region in what analysts describe as the largest US military buildup in Latin America in decades. The United States has reopened bases in Puerto Rico, conducted extensive naval drills, and begun striking Venezuelan boats allegedly involved in drug trafficking. The most recent attack on Friday left six people dead. Trump has also authorized covert CIA operations inside Venezuela and even hinted at the possibility of a land invasion. Despite these moves, Trump insists the US is not declaring war. “I don’t think we’re going to ask for a declaration of war,” he told reporters. “We’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country.” Since September 2, at least ten deadly US strikes have targeted vessels near Venezuela’s coast, killing 43 people, according to official statements. Most of these operations have taken place in international waters, raising serious questions about their legality under international law. The military campaign is being run by US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), based in Doral, Florida. Traditionally tasked with overseeing US military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, SOUTHCOM’s current mission officially focuses on countering narcotics flows. However, the scale and nature of the forces involved suggest a broader strategic aim — one that could pressure or destabilize Venezuela’s government. The naval buildup is led by the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, a force of Navy ships carrying about 4,500 sailors and Marines. It includes the USS San Antonio and the USS Fort Lauderdale, both designed for amphibious assault and rapid deployment. US Marines have already conducted live-fire drills and landing exercises near St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. In a major escalation, the Pentagon also deployed the USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group — an aircraft carrier accompanied by five destroyers — to the region. Each destroyer is armed with Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep inside Venezuela. A nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Newport News, has also joined the fleet. Al Jazeera’s Defence Editor Alex Gatopoulos noted that the buildup is “the biggest US military presence in the region for decades,” adding that the deployed forces “are oriented for land attack, not counter-narcotics.” The air component of the operation includes advanced aircraft such as B-52 and B-1 bombers, F-35 stealth fighters, AC-130 gunships, and MQ-9 Reaper drones. Many of these planes are designed for large-scale warfare, not drug interdiction. “Flying strategic bombers close to Venezuelan airspace is an intimidation tactic,” Gatopoulos said. “This force looks like it’s preparing for something much bigger.” The presence of stealth fighters, drones, and special operations helicopters — including CH-53E Super Stallions and MH-60 Black Hawks — gives the US the ability to conduct precision strikes or rapid raids anywhere in the region. The MC Ocean Trader, a mobile base ship, is also part of the deployment, supporting special forces missions. Altogether, SOUTHCOM now commands more than ten major warships, dozens of aircraft, and thousands of troops in and around the Caribbean — a force size not seen since the 1989 US invasion of Panama. While Washington insists the buildup targets narcotics traffickers, critics argue that it is a thinly veiled effort to weaken the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro. With aircraft carriers, bombers, and special forces now positioned just off Venezuela’s shores, many fear that what began as a “counter-narcotics” campaign could evolve into a new American military conflict in Latin America.

NEWS