USS Gerald R. Ford Joins Major U.S. Naval Buildup in Caribbean, Raising Tensions Near Venezuela

U.S. carrier arrives as Pentagon frames operation as counterdrug effort

The U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, entered the Caribbean Sea on Sunday as part of a substantial American military deployment that has intensified debate over Washington’s posture toward Venezuela.

The Navy said the Ford arrived alongside other warships as part of a counterdrug operation. Critics and regional observers, however, view the deployment as an increase in pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Since early September, U.S. forces say they have struck vessels suspected of carrying drugs; officials report those strikes have killed at least 80 people in 20 separate attacks on small boats in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

With the Ford joining the task force, the mission dubbed Operation Southern Spear now includes nearly a dozen Navy ships and roughly 12,000 sailors and Marines — the largest concentration of U.S. firepower in the region in generations.

The carrier strike group, which includes fighter squadrons and guided-missile destroyers, transited the Anegada Passage near the British Virgin Islands on Sunday morning, the Navy said.

“This deployment will bolster an already large force to protect our nation’s security and prosperity against narco-terrorism in the Western Hemisphere,” said Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta, commander of the strike group.

Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. forces for the Caribbean and Latin America, said the forces are prepared “to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region.” Holsey — who is set to retire next month after about a year in the post — described the strike group's arrival as “a critical step in reinforcing our resolve to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere and the safety of the American homeland.”

On nearby Trinidad and Tobago — whose closest point is about seven miles from Venezuela — officials said joint training exercises with U.S. forces have begun and will continue through much of the week. Foreign Minister Sean Sobers said the drills, the second in under a month, are meant to address violent crime; Trinidad has become a transit point for drug shipments bound for Europe and North America. The exercises include Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, who have been operating from U.S. ships deployed off Venezuela’s coast.

Venezuelan authorities denounced the drills as an act of aggression. Caracas had no immediate comment Sunday regarding the carrier’s arrival.

The administration maintains the buildup is focused on stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, but it has not publicly released detailed evidence to substantiate the characterization of people killed in the boat strikes as “narcoterrorists.” President Trump has suggested the campaign could broaden beyond naval strikes, saying the U.S. would "stop the drugs coming in by land," and has described the effort as part of an "armed conflict" with drug cartels.

Analysts note that aircraft carriers are traditionally used to deter or counter hostile states since their warplanes can strike targets far inland. Some experts argue a carrier like the Ford is not ideally suited to combating organized crime or cartel activity, but its presence can be an effective instrument of intimidation aimed at pressuring Venezuelan leaders.

Sen. Marco Rubio said the United States does not recognize Maduro — who has been widely accused of electoral fraud — as Venezuela’s legitimate leader and has described the government as complicit in drug trafficking. Maduro, who faces charges in the U.S., has accused Washington of fabricating a pretext for hostility and announced a large mobilization of troops and civilians in response.

The strikes and the broader military posture have drawn criticism from regional leaders, the U.N. human rights chief and members of Congress, including Republicans who have demanded more information about who is being targeted and the legal basis for the sea attacks. At the same time, Senate Republicans recently rejected legislation that would have constrained the president’s ability to take military action against Venezuela without congressional approval.

“This is the anchor of what it means to have U.S. military power once again in Latin America,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst for the Andes region at the International Crisis Group. “It has raised anxieties in Venezuela and across the region, and many are watching closely to see how willing the U.S. is to actually use military force.”

Whatever the next steps, the arrival of a 100,000-ton carrier is a clear signal of U.S. intent and capability in the region.

Associated Press reporters in Port of Spain and Caracas contributed to this report.