Tensions rise in Venezuela as American stealth aircraft are dispatched to the Caribbean region
The United States is increasing its military presence in the Caribbean, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio has threatened to take action against foreign crime groups, potentially in collaboration with other countries. This development adds to an already significant U.S. military presence in the region.
The U.S. Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has labeled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as "effectively a kingpin of a drug narco state." In response, President Donald Trump is pursuing a campaign promise to intensify efforts against drug cartels accused of trafficking narcotics into the U.S.
The U.S. has announced the designation of two of Ecuador's largest criminal gangs, Los Lobos and Los Choneros, as terrorist organisations. This move comes as the U.S. deploys 10 F-35 fighter jets to a Puerto Rico airfield for operations against narco-terrorist groups in the southern Caribbean. F-35s, stealth multirole fighters, could potentially give the U.S. air dominance in any confrontation involving Venezuela's air force.
U.S. Marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are conducting amphibious training and flight operations in southern Puerto Rico as part of the military build-up. Two Venezuelan F-16s flew over the USS Jason Dunham, which is one of at least seven American warships in the Caribbean, carrying more than 4,500 sailors and Marines.
However, the U.S. military strike on Tuesday reportedly killed 11 people and sank a Venezuelan boat, but no further details have been provided about the substances on board or the legal framework under which the strike was authorised. Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar has criticised the deployment, calling Trump's actions "lawless" and questioning the constitutional authority for military strikes in the region. Omar stated that Congress has not declared war on Venezuela or Tren de Aragua, and the mere designation of a group as a terrorist organization does not give any President carte blanche to ignore Congress's clear Constitutional authority on matters of war and peace.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused the U.S. of seeking a regime change through military threat. Hegseth defended the U.S. military strike on Tuesday and stated that such actions would continue due to the threat posed by narcotics. The U.S. Navy warship, the USS Jason Dunham, was recently subjected to a flyover by Venezuelan fighter jets, highlighting the tense relations between the two nations.
As the situation in the Caribbean unfolds, it remains to be seen how the U.S.'s increased military presence will impact the region and its relations with neighbouring countries.
