US parks its most advanced aircraft carrier near Venezuela amid growing show of force
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Washington’s most advanced aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, demonstrating American military might, raising questions about what the new influx of troops and weapons could mean for the Trump administration’s intentions in South America as it carries out military strikes against ships suspected of carrying drugs.
The arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships, announced by the Navy in a statement, marks a major moment in what the administration says is an anti-drug operation but has been seen as an escalating pressure tactic against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Since early September, U.S. strikes have killed at least 80 people in 20 attacks on small boats accused of transporting drugs in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean.
The Ford completes the largest buildup of American firepower in the region in generations. Upon arrival, the “Operation Southern Spear” mission includes nearly a dozen Navy ships and approximately 12,000 sailors and Marines.
The carrier strike group, which includes squadrons of fighter jets and guided-missile destroyers, transited the Anegada Passage near the British Virgin Islands on Sunday morning, the navy said.
Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta, who commands the strike group, said it would bolster an already large force of U.S. warships to “protect our nation’s security and prosperity against narcoterrorism in the Western Hemisphere.”
Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander in charge of the Caribbean and Latin America, said in a statement that U.S. forces “stand ready to combat transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region.”
Holsey, who will retire next month after just a year on the job, said the strike group’s deployment is “a critical step in strengthening our resolve to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere and the safety of the American homeland.”
Military exercise with Trinidad and Tobago
In Trinidad and Tobago, which is just 7 miles (11 kilometers) from Venezuela, government officials said troops had begun “training exercises” with the U.S. military that would run through much of the week.
Sean Sobers, Trinidad and Tobago’s foreign minister, described the joint exercises as the second in less than a month and said they were aimed at combating violent crime in the island nation, which has become a stopover for drug shipments bound for Europe and North America. The prime minister has been a strong supporter of US military strikes.
The exercises will include Marines from the 22nd Expeditionary Unit stationed aboard Navy ships that have been looming off the coast of Venezuela for months.
The Venezuelan government called the training exercises an act of aggression. She had no immediate comment Sunday on the aircraft carrier’s arrival.
Venezuela accuses the United States of “fabricating” an excuse
The administration has insisted the surge is aimed at stopping the flow of drugs into the United States, but it has released no evidence to support its claims that those killed in the boats were “narcoterrorists.” Trump indicated that military action would extend beyond maritime strikes, saying the United States would “prevent the entry of drugs by land.”
The United States has long used aircraft carriers to apply pressure and deter aggression from other countries because its warplanes can strike targets deep within another country. Some experts say Ford is not suited to fighting cartels, but he could be an effective intimidation tool for Maduro to force him to resign.
Description: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro invoked John Lennon’s peace anthem, Imagine, during a Saturday rally with his supporters, singing the iconic song while calling for calm amid escalating tensions with the United States.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States does not recognize Maduro, widely accused of stealing last year’s election, as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. Rubio called the Venezuelan government a “transshipment organization” that openly cooperates with drug traffickers.
Maduro, who faces narcoterrorism charges in the United States, said the U.S. government is “manufacturing” a war against him. The Venezuelan government recently touted a “massive” mobilization of troops and civilians to defend against possible U.S. attacks.
“Caused a lot of anxiety”
Trump justified attacks on drug boats by claiming the United States was in “armed conflict” with drug cartels, while claiming the boats were operated by foreign terrorist organizations.
He faced pushback from regional leaders, the U.N. human rights chief and U.S. lawmakers, including Republicans, who pressed for more information about who was targeted and the legal justification for the boat strikes.
However, Senate Republicans recently voted to reject legislation that would have curbed Trump’s ability to launch an attack on Venezuela without congressional authorization.
Experts disagree on whether or not U.S. warplanes can be used to strike land targets inside Venezuela. Regardless, the 100,000-ton warship is sending a message.
“This is the anchor of what it means to have American military power in Latin America again,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for the Andes region.
“And that has caused a lot of concern in Venezuela but also throughout the region. I think everyone is watching this with a sort of holding of breath to see how willing the United States is to actually use military force.”
