U.S.Deploys Aircraft Carrier as Pressure Mounts on Venezuela
CARACAS/WASHINGTON – The United States escalated its pressure on Venezuela this week with the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford as the U.S. government continues to seek the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. The move comes as Venezuelan military forces conduct national defense exercises, signaling heightened tensions between the two nations.
The deployment underscores the U.S.’s firm opposition to Maduro’s socialist government, which Washington accuses of links to drug trafficking and criminal organizations – allegations Maduro vehemently denies. In August, the U.S. State Department doubled the reward for data leading to Maduro’s arrest and/or conviction to $50 million, demonstrating the intensity of the U.S. pursuit. This action reflects a long-standing U.S. policy of isolating and attempting to remove Maduro from power, a strategy that has yielded limited success despite years of sanctions and diplomatic efforts.
Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López stated that any attempt to destabilize the country would fail, following national defense maneuvers that included the positioning of air defense units at strategic locations. President Maduro himself affirmed the military’s readiness.
The USS Gerald R. ford, commissioned in 2017, represents the newest addition to the U.S. Navy’s fleet of eleven aircraft carriers and carries a crew of over 5,000 personnel. Its presence in the region is widely interpreted as a exhibition of U.S. resolve and a warning to Maduro’s government. The situation remains fluid, with potential implications for regional stability and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.
