USS Gerald R. Ford deploys to Caribbean in massive show of force near Venezuela
The most advanced US aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has traveled to the Caribbean Sea as part of a significant military build-up, which has been interpreted as a direct show of force and a potential threat to the regime of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro.
The USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying warships arrived in the area on Sunday, bringing a new influx of troops and weaponry. This latest deployment rounds off the largest increase in US firepower in the region in generations.
Operation Southern Spear
The operation, dubbed "Operation Southern Spear," now includes nearly a dozen navy ships and approximately 12,000 sailors and marines. The stated goal, according to the government, is to prevent criminal cartels from smuggling drugs into America.
The military official who commands the strike group confirmed the mission aims to bolster American forces to "protect our nation's security and prosperity against narco-terrorism in the Western Hemisphere." Another military commander overseeing the Caribbean and Latin America added that American forces "stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilise our region."
Since early September, strikes have killed at least 80 people in 20 attacks on small boats accused of transporting narcotics in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. The US president has indicated that military action would expand beyond strikes by sea, saying the US would "stop the drugs coming in by land."
Regional Tensions and Political Pressure
The arrival of the aircraft carrier strike group has intensified regional tensions:
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Trinidad and Tobago, an island just seven miles from Venezuela, has announced joint "training exercises" with the US military aimed at tackling violent crime and drug trafficking in the area.
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Venezuela’s government has previously described such training exercises as an act of aggression, and Nicolás Maduro, who faces charges of narcoterrorism, has accused the US government of "fabricating" a war against him.
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Intimidation Tool: Experts suggest that while the Ford is ill-suited to fighting cartels, it serves as an effective instrument of intimidation to pressure Maduro to step down. The US frequently uses aircraft carriers to pressure and deter aggression due to their capability to launch strikes deep inside another country.
