November 13, 2025 | 12:00 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A United States aircraft carrier strike group has arrived in waters near Latin America, heightening tensions with Venezuela.
Washington says the deployment will bolster efforts to disrupt drug and criminal networks, but Caracas calls it a pretext for regime change.
US President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of the world's largest warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the region last month.
US-Venezuela tensions rise further amid military buildup
The US Navy said Tuesday the Ford and three destroyers will join several other ships in the Caribbean, including three carrying mobile Marine forces with thousands of troops.
This follows a number of strikes against Venezuelan vessels, which the US claims are involved in trafficking drugs. International concerns over the legality of these strikes have been mounting.
The UK has reportedly stopped sharing some intelligence with the US, citing concerns that the deadly strikes against the vessels are in breach of international law.
Maduro says Trump 'fabricating a war'
Trump has focused on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of sending violent criminals and drugs to the United States.
Meanwhile, Maduro has accused the Trump administration of "fabricating a war."
Venezuela has announced a nationwide military mobilization, including land, sea and missile forces, to counter what it calls "imperial threats."
On November 2, Trump downplayed the prospect of war with Venezuela but warned Maduro's days were numbered.
'War on drugs' escalates
In a note to Congress, the Trump administration said it was in "armed conflict" with Latin American drug cartels, describing them as terrorist groups.
The deployment of the carrier group signals an intent to expand the scope of its lethal military campaign.
Since early September, US forces have conducted strikes on at least 20 vessels in international waters in the region, resulting in the deaths of at least 76 people, according to US figures.
Russia has condemned the strikes on vessels in the Caribbean as illegal, while human rights groups have questioned their legality.
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