USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier arrives on the coast of Latin America amid tensions with Venezuela and the approach of war

A US aircraft carrier arrived off the coast of Latin America on Tuesday, marking a major boost to US military resources in the region and an escalation of tensions with Venezuela.

The arrival of the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to bolster an operation that Washington says is aimed at counter-narcotics, coincides with Venezuelan military defense exercises, while Caracas’ ally Russia has condemned US airstrikes on boats Washington suspects are used to smuggle drugs.

The US Army’s Southern Command said in a statement that “the Gerald R. Ford Attack Aircraft Carrier Group… On November 11, the US Latin America and the Caribbean Command’s area of operations was informed”.

The deployment, announced by Washington on October 24th, is aimed at supporting President Donald Trump’s order to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and combat narcotics, the US Army’s Southern Command said.

The US military’s most advanced aircraft carrier carries four squadrons of fighter jets, accompanied by three guided-missile destroyers.

Since August, Washington has been deploying significant military capabilities in the Caribbean, including six warships, with the stated goal of combating drug trafficking to the United States.

Venezuela, on the other hand, believes that the deployment of this flotilla is aimed at overthrowing President Nicolás Maduro and seizing its oil reserves.

Trump has authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela, but has given contradictory indications about his strategy, occasionally talking about strikes on Venezuelan soil but also ruling out the idea of war.

Maduro has repeatedly called for dialogue but says he is ready to defend himself, consistently opposing military activities inside the country.

On Monday, Nicolás Maduro asserted that Venezuela had the power and influence to respond to the United States, saying, “If imperialism strikes and inflicts damage, operations, mobilization and fighting will be ordered for the entire Venezuelan people”.

The Venezuelan military announced on Tuesday that it was deploying “intensively” throughout its country in response to US “imperialism”.

A statement issued by Venezuelan Defense Minister and Chief of Staff Vladimir Padrino López spoke of “the extensive deployment of land, air, sea, river and missile means, weapons systems, military units and Bolivarian militia” that includes civilians and former military personnel who form forces to strengthen the army and police.

Venezuela’s State television channel VTV broadcast speeches by senior officers in several states of the country, accompanied by images showing military exercises.

The Venezuelan Defense Minister spoke of the participation of 200,000 armed personnel in the exercises.

“The country must know that Venezuela is guarded, protected and defended,” Padrino said, describing the US military as “mercenaries who kill unarmed people, whether they are drug dealers or not”.

In recent weeks, the United States has carried out about 20 airstrikes on ships that were unsubstantiated in suspected drug trafficking, killing at least 76 people.

Experts question the legality of attacking such boats in international waters without attempting to intercept them or arrest their crew members and bring them to justice.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged Washington on Monday to investigate the legality of its strikes, citing strong indications that they constitute extrajudicial killings.

Venezuela is led by the government of President Nicolás Maduro, to whom the Kremlin provides political and economic support, as on Tuesday Moscow said that the US strikes on boats in the Caribbean were illegal and unacceptable.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in remarks carried on state television: “This is how outlaw countries usually behave, and those that consider themselves above the law,” considering that the United States is using the fight against drugs as a “pretext”.

On the other hand, the US military deployment in the Caribbean has also alarmed Brazil but also Colombia, which announced on Tuesday it would suspend intelligence sharing between Bogotá and Washington as long as missile attacks on boats continue.

Even the United Kingdom, a close ally of the United States, stopped sharing intelligence with Washington more than a month ago about boats suspected of being involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean, because it did not want to be complicit in the US strikes.

France expressed concern about military operations in the Caribbean, on the first day of the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers in Canada, who are scheduled to discuss, in addition to the issue of drug trafficking, the wars in Ukraine and Sudan.

The foreign ministers of the G7 countries – Germany, Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the United States – arrived in Niagara on Tuesday evening on the Canadian-US border.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barraux said upon arrival in Canada: “We’re following with concern military operations in the Caribbean because they disregard international law”.

He added that Paris clearly wants to avoid any escalation, noting that all G7 countries are concerned about the escalation of drug trade and organized crime and therefore “we have an interest in working together”.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro also suspended intelligence sharing with the United States in response to Washington’s bombing of boats suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing at least 76 people.

“All intelligence agencies of the SSF have been ordered to suspend communications and other dealings with US security agencies,” Petro said on X, adding that the suspension will remain in place as long as the missile attacks on the boats continue.