USS Gerald Ford Bolsters U.S. Navy’s Anti-Drug Operation in Latin America and Caribbean
CARIBBEAN SEA – The USS Gerald R. Ford, the newest and largest aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy, joined a multinational operation targeting drug trafficking in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coast of Latin America on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. The deployment, ordered by former President Donald Trump last month, substantially increases the U.S. military presence in the region.
The USS Gerald Ford’s arrival adds to an existing force of eight warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 aircraft already deployed to the area, according to a statement from the U.S. Southern Command. The Pentagon confirmed the carrier’s deployment,stating it will contribute to efforts to “dismantle narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.”
This escalation in military activity comes amid heightened tensions with Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro alleges the U.S. buildup is intended to force him from power. In August,the U.S. government doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, accusing him of ties to drug trafficking and criminal groups – allegations Maduro denies.
To date, the U.S. military has conducted at least 19 operations against vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and along the Pacific coast of Latin America, resulting in at least 76 fatalities, according to reports. The USS Gerald R. Ford,which entered service in 2017 and carries over 5,000 sailors,entered the team’s area of duty covering Latin America and the Caribbean after being ordered to deploy almost three weeks ago.
(mn/afp, reuters)
