US naval presence in Caribbean raises concerns of potential Venezuela action
US warships in Caribbean fuel speculation over potential Venezuela strike
Washington DC — A surge of US naval activity near Venezuela has sparked questions about possible military action, amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to confirm any imminent strikes but stressed that President Trump is “prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice.” She described the Maduro government as “a narco-terror cartel” and said the regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela.
According to reports, the US Navy has deployed a substantial force to the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, including three destroyers, two landing dock ships, an amphibious assault ship, a cruiser, a littoral combat ship, and a nuclear-powered submarine. Many of the vessels carry US Coast Guard and law enforcement detachments tasked with drug interdiction operations.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned the US build-up as “illegal” and accused Washington of threatening the nation with nuclear submarines in violation of international law. Caracas has called on the United Nations for support, with Foreign Minister Yvan Gil meeting UN officials to denounce the US military presence as “an attack on peace.”
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Argentina has joined an “international coalition” backing Washington’s counter-narcotics operations, alongside other regional partners including Ecuador, Paraguay, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.
In response, Venezuela has announced plans to deploy military vessels and drones along its coastline to monitor US activities. The White House maintains that its operations are aimed solely at curbing drug trafficking into the United States.
