US Aircraft Carrier Arrives In Caribbean Amid Launch Of “Operation Southern Spear”
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the nation’s most advanced aircraft carrier, arrived in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, completing the most significant U.S. military buildup in the region in generations.
The deployment brings the total number of troops to approximately 12,000 on nearly a dozen Navy ships, an effort dubbed “Operation Southern Spear” by the Department of War, led by Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Trump administration insists the massive show of force is solely a counterdrug operation aimed at stopping the flow of narcotics into the U.S.
Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta stated the strike group will bolster existing American warships to “protect our nation’s security and prosperity against narco-terrorism in the Western Hemisphere.”
However, the move is widely viewed as a significant pressure tactic against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the U.S. does not recognize as the country’s legitimate leader. The U.S. has ramped up its efforts since September, with strikes killing at least 80 people in 20 attacks on small boats accused of drug transport.
The administration has released no public evidence to support its claims that those killed in the strikes were “narco-terrorists.”
The U.S. buildup, including fighter jets and guided-missile destroyers, has drawn concern from regional leaders, the U.N. human rights chief, and U.S. lawmakers seeking legal justification and more information on the targets.
READ MORE: Trump Refuses To Rule Out U.S. Ground Troops In Venezuela Amid Rising Tensions
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