The US Navy announced that a naval strike force led by the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has arrived in the Caribbean amid growing tensions with Venezuela.
The deployment, ordered by US President Donald Trump, aims to combat drug trafficking and international criminal networks in the region, according to the Pentagon. Officials said the expanded presence will strengthen surveillance and interdiction efforts under US Southern Command.
The move follows a series of US airstrikes on boats accused of smuggling drugs, which have killed at least 76 people. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused Washington of trying to destabilize his government, while France criticized US operations as “violations of international law,” citing risks to its Caribbean territories.