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According to reports by Newsweek, the Trump administration is bolstering its military forces in international waters, particularly in the Caribbean and Pacific, with the aim of deterring drug cartel activities. The USS Lake Erie’s deployment highlights the administration’s increased focus on projecting power in the Southern Caribbean.
While the official goal is to target narcotics operations, analysts and regional observers have noted that positioning warships and a nuclear-powered submarine signals a broader show of force near Venezuela. Newsweek reached out to the State Department for comment but received none by press time.
The U.S. presence now includes several warships with more than 4,500 personnel. The deployment comprises three destroyers, two landing dock ships, an amphibious assault ship, a cruiser, and a littoral combat ship, all either already in the region or en route.
Each destroyer carries detachments of U.S. Coast Guard and law enforcement personnel tasked with drug interdiction operations. Venezuela, under President Nicolás Maduro, considers this deployment a threat to its sovereignty and has mobilized 15,000 security forces along its border with Colombia. The country also plans to patrol territorial waters with drones and naval vessels while encouraging civil defense training nationwide.
Venezuela’s government has condemned the U.S. presence, viewing it as part of “gunboat diplomacy” aimed at applying pressure on their government without resorting to full-scale military intervention. In a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Maduro called for an end to these hostile actions and respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty.
The USS Lake Erie will continue its operations in the Caribbean, with the U.S. naval presence expected to remain active in the region for the foreseeable future. Observers will be watching closely for further developments and potential escalations in U.S.-Venezuelan relations.
