U.S. Military Exercises Near Venezuela Prompt Concerns of Potential Retaliatory Strikes
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – Amid ongoing U.S. Southern Command military exercises in Trinidad and Tobago,the venezuelan government alleges it has uncovered a plot by a CIA-linked ”criminal cell” to attack the USS Gravely (DDG-107),a U.S. Navy destroyer currently docked in the country, and falsely implicate the Nicolás Maduro regime. The allegations surfaced Monday from Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.
The unfolding situation occurs as the U.S. military presence in the region intensifies, raising anxieties about potential escalation. Experts suggest the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group – including destroyers equipped with Tomahawk missiles, F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters, and EA-18 Growler electronic jamming aircraft – provides the U.S. with a broadened range of military options regarding Venezuela. This development follows recent statements by Maduro asserting Venezuela possesses approximately 5,000 Russian-made Igla-S portable surface-to-air missiles, intended, he stated, “to guarantee the peace, stability and tranquility of our people.”
The Venezuelan government claims the alleged plot aimed to create a pretext for U.S. intervention. Maduro has previously accused the U.S. of seeking regime change, and the current accusations amplify those concerns.The U.S. government has not yet commented on the Venezuelan allegations.
