Key points: The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group sailed into waters overseen by US Naval Forces Southern Command, prompting Venezuela to announce a "massive" nationwide military mobilization. The US says the deployment — which includes F-35 jets and other Navy ships — is aimed at disrupting drug trafficking across the hemisphere. Recent US strikes on roughly 20 vessels have reportedly killed dozens and led Colombia to pause intelligence-sharing with Washington, while Russia condemned the attacks. Analysts say Venezuela would be outmatched in a direct military confrontation, raising concerns about regional escalation.
USS Gerald R. Ford's Arrival Near Latin America Triggers Venezuelan 'Massive' Mobilization
Key points: The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group sailed into waters overseen by US Naval Forces Southern Command, prompting Venezuela to announce a "massive" nationwide military mobilization. The US says the deployment — which includes F-35 jets and other Navy ships — is aimed at disrupting drug trafficking across the hemisphere. Recent US strikes on roughly 20 vessels have reportedly killed dozens and led Colombia to pause intelligence-sharing with Washington, while Russia condemned the attacks. Analysts say Venezuela would be outmatched in a direct military confrontation, raising concerns about regional escalation.
03:02 PM, 11/12/2025Conflict
US carrier strike group arrives as regional tensions escalate
The USS Gerald R. Ford — the world's largest aircraft carrier — entered waters overseen by US Naval Forces Southern Command on Tuesday, a move US officials say is intended to bolster counter-narcotics operations across Latin America and the Caribbean. The deployment, ordered nearly three weeks earlier, has heightened tensions with Venezuela, which responded by announcing a nationwide military mobilization.
According to the Pentagon, the carrier strike group will "bolster US capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
"Its presence will bolster US capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities..." — Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell
The operation also includes F-35 fighters deployed to Puerto Rico and several US Navy ships operating in the Caribbean. US officials describe the effort as part of an intensified campaign against drug-smuggling networks in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific.
Caracas sees a different threat
Venezuela's government has portrayed the US deployment as a potential pretext for regime change. President Nicolás Maduro and other officials have accused the United States of "fabricating a war" and signaled readiness to defend the country. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino announced what Caracas called a "massive deployment" of land, sea, air, river and missile forces, along with civilian militias. He said about 200,000 troops participated in the exercise, though observers reported no significant military activity visible in the capital.
"If we as a republic, as a people, go into an armed struggle... we're ready to win," President Nicolás Maduro said.
Regional fallout and disputed strikes
US forces have reportedly struck about 20 vessels in international waters in the region since early September, resulting in at least 76 deaths, according to US figures cited in official statements. Washington describes the campaign as part of an "armed conflict" against Latin American drug cartels, some of which it labels as "terrorist" organizations.
Human rights groups and some international observers have raised concerns about the strikes, noting that Washington has not publicly released conclusive evidence that the targeted vessels were engaged in drug-smuggling. Critics argue the attacks risk amounting to extrajudicial killings even when aimed at suspected traffickers.
In response to the strikes, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced a suspension of intelligence-sharing with the United States, saying the pause would remain in effect "as long as the missile attacks on boats continue." Russia condemned the US strikes as "unacceptable," with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioning the stated anti-drugs pretext. The UK declined to comment publicly on media reports that it had paused intelligence cooperation related to suspected drug-smuggling vessels.
Military balance and international implications
Analysts warned that Venezuela — with reports of an undisciplined military and an aging arsenal — would be severely outmatched in any conventional confrontation with the United States. Venezuela relies on Russia for political and economic support, further complicating the geopolitical picture while US-Russia relations remain strained over other international conflicts.
The unfolding situation highlights competing narratives: the US view of an offensive against transnational criminal networks and Venezuela's portrayal of a threatening show of force that could destabilize the region. Independent verification of some claims (including the nature of the vessels struck) remains incomplete, and the prospect of further escalation has prompted concern from regional leaders and rights groups.
Reporting note: The account above is based on official statements from US and Venezuelan officials and reporting from regional news agencies. Some numbers and characterizations (such as casualty counts and the status of intelligence-sharing) reflect the positions reported by the parties involved.