USS Gerald R. Ford Arrives in Latin America Amid Heightened US Military Presence
CARIBBEAN SEA -โค The โฃUSS gerald R. Ford, the world’s newest โฃand largest aircraft carrier,โ has โคenteredโ Latin โAmerican waters, accompanied by a substantial increase in US military assets in the region, according toโฃ the USโ Navy and reports from The Guardian. The deployment โmarks the largestโ US military presence in โthe area inโค decades, reminiscent of the scale seen duringโ the 1989 invasion โof Panama.
The carrier, boasting a crew of 4,000, โis joined by other warships,โ a nuclear-powered submarine,โข and aircraft stationedโข in Puertoโค Rico. โคThis showโ of force is โintended to โฃcounter illegal activities,โฃ disrupt drug trafficking, and dismantle international criminal organizations, stated โPentagon spokesman โฃSean Parnell in a US Navy release.โ
Theโ deployment comes as Venezuelan President Nicolรกs Maduro has announced โคa large-scale mobilization of his contry’s armedโ forces – including land, sea, air, river, and missile units, and โalso civilian โขmilitia โ-โข in response โto the US navalโฃ presence near its coastline.
The increasedโ military activityโค is partially attributed to the trump governance’s effortsโ to combat drug trafficking. Asโฃ September, at least 76 people haveโ reportedly been killed in airstrikes targeting vessels suspected of drug smuggling.
Analysts suggest the deploymentโข is also aimed at increasing pressure on Maduro to step down, while the Venezuelan president has expressedโ concerns that the United States intends to initiate a new conflict. The USS Gerald R. Ford โขcarries dozens of aircraft and is supported by accompanying destroyer warships.