U.S. Military displays Advanced Aircraft in Puerto Rico Amid Rising Venezuela Tensions
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – The United States has signaled a heightened posture toward Venezuela with a display of five F-35 fighter aircraft in puerto Rico, escalating tensions between the two nations. The move comes as the Trump governance increasingly frames Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government as a criminal enterprise and vows too dismantle illicit groups operating within the country.
The deployment, coupled with recent statements from key U.S. officials, suggests a potential shift toward more assertive action against drug trafficking and what Washington designates as “narco-terrorist organizations” linked to the Maduro regime. A report from The New York Times indicated that Senator Marco Rubio may be “preparing what coudl be the most vital military actions of President Trump’s second mandate.” Rubio has previously asserted the U.S.will take “the necessary measures to end drug trafficking and stop Nicolás Maduro.”
President Trump has designated criminal groups like the Aragua Train as terrorist bands, pledging to dismantle them. A senior U.S. official stated following a recent operation that “the interception no longer works” and that “What will stop them is to fly through the air. The president of the United States will fight a war against narco-terrorist organizations.”
The administration has repeatedly characterized Maduro not as a legitimate government, but as the head of a “criminal association that has taken over a national territory to enrich himself.” Maduro, in response to the escalating tensions, warned Donald trump, stating, “donald Trump, take care of yourself, because Marco Rubio wants to stain his blood hands,” and reiterated that no foreign forces would be permitted to enter Venezuelan territory.