Trump administration sends strike group with aircraft carriers and destroyers to the Caribbean to increase pressure on Venezuela

Aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, lead ship of the USS Gerald Ford strike group of the United States Navy. Alyssa Joy/United States Navy The United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, ordered this Friday (24) the sending of a strike group that includes an aircraft carrier, warships and combat aircraft to the Caribbean Sea amid escalating tensions with Venezuela. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp According to the Pentagon, the Gerald Ford attack group was deployed to the Latin American region. This attack group is made up of the following attack vessels and aircraft, as well as monitoring and support vehicles: Aircraft carrier Gerald Ford; 3 destroyers: USS Mahan, USS Bainbridge and USS Winston Churchill; Three squadrons of F-18 fighters; Two squadrons of MH-60 attack helicopters. Gerald Ford’s vessels and aircraft add to the already large United States military presence in the Caribbean Sea, which includes several warships, fighter jets, special operations helicopters and bomber planes. According to the Reuters news agency, the new deployment represents a “drastic increase” in the number of American troops and aircraft in the Latin American region. “The enhanced presence of U.S. forces in the U.S. SOUTHCOM area of ​​responsibility will enhance the U.S. ability to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the security and prosperity of the U.S. homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” said Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. US attacks 10th vessel in Latin America Since the beginning of the month, US Armed Forces ships and fighters deployed to the Caribbean have carried out attacks on Latin American vessels. The operation was ordered by Donald Trump himself to the Pentagon with the argument of preventing boats transporting drugs from entering the USA — although the American press has speculated that the real objective of the offensive is to overthrow the Nicolás Maduro regime. On Thursday, Maduro made appeals in English against a possible American operation, and said “no crazy war, please” (read more below). Trump has already stated that he will take ground actions against drug cartels soon, but without mentioning Venezuela. Previously, the American leader said that Maduro “offered everything” — in reference to the country’s natural resources — against a military onslaught in the country, however, Trump reportedly refused. Data from the United Nations (UN) also weaken the official version of the operations: the 2025 World Drug Report, from the UN drug and crime agency, points out that the drug that causes the most overdoses in the USA, fentanyl, comes from Mexico, which is close to the west coast of the USA. Despite this, the American military fleet was sent to the Caribbean Sea, on the other tip of the southern USA and close to Venezuela. READ ALSO: Trump targets Venezuela to fight drug trafficking, but the drug that causes the most overdoses in the US comes from Mexico Can Trump bomb ships in international waters? Understand rules on attacks Venezuelan minister says the CIA is in the country and that US plans against Maduro will fail ‘No crazy war, please’ Image shows US President Donald Trump (L), in Washington, DC, on July 9, 2025, and Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro (R), in Caracas, on July 31, 2024. AFP/Jim Watson On Thursday (23), Venezuela’s Defense Minister stated that agents from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) are already in the country. The statement was made after President Donald Trump authorized intelligence actions against targets linked to Chavismo. “We know that the CIA is present in Venezuela,” said minister Vladimir Padrino. “They can send as many units as they want in covert operations from any point in the country. Any attempt will fail.” Faced with the escalation, the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, stated that he does not want war with the USA and asked, in English, that Trump also avoid conflict. “No crazy war, please. No crazy war. No crazy war. Venezuela wants peace,” Maduro said on Thursday. Venezuela mobilizes military against possible invasion by the United States Last week, The New York Times stated that the actions authorized by the CIA by Trump could include “lethal operations” and other American intelligence initiatives in the Caribbean. With this, the targets could be Maduro and members of the Venezuelan government. Trump said he authorized covert operations because Venezuela has been sending drugs and criminals to the United States. On October 15, when asked whether intelligence agents had the authority to eliminate the Venezuelan president, he preferred not to answer. Since last month, according to the American press, the Trump administration has been evaluating a military operation that could include attacks on Venezuela. Structures linked to drug cartels would be among the possible targets. Officials say the ultimate goal would be to remove Maduro from power. The US accuses Maduro of leading the Cartel de los Soles, a group recently classified by the Trump administration as an international terrorist organization. In this context, the American government may consider the president of Venezuela a legitimate target when announcing attacks against cartels. This Thursday (23), Trump stated that the United States must carry out military actions on land against cartels. He did not directly mention Venezuela. He also said that he will not need to ask Congress for a declaration of war. “I think we’re just going to kill the people who are bringing drugs into our country. Okay? Let’s kill them.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that the American military will hunt down and kill all “terrorists” who traffic drugs into the United States. “These are designated foreign terrorist organizations. They are the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda Western Hemisphere. Our message to these foreign terrorist organizations is: We will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda.” After attacking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, USA announces land actions VIDEOS: trending on g1 See the videos that are trending on g1

Source link