US Boosts Maritime Force in Venezuela Waters Amid Fears of Invasion

The United States is set to significantly increase its maritime presence in the waters off Venezuela, with the deployment of three amphibious assault ships and over 4,000 sailors and Marines by next week. This move has sparked anxiety in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro's government has been capitalizing on the speculation by appealing to citizens to enlist in a beleaguered militia. The US government has maintained that its goals are focused on combating threats from Latin American drug cartels, with President Donald Trump pushing for the use of the military to thwart cartels blamed for the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into American communities.

Key Takeaways:

• The US Navy has two Aegis guided-missile destroyers – the USS Gravely and the USS Jason Dunham – in the Caribbean, with the destroyer USS Sampson and the cruiser USS Lake Erie in the Pacific Ocean off Latin America.
• The deployment of three amphibious assault ships, including the USS Iwo Jima, the USS San Antonio, and the USS Fort Lauderdale, is expected to enter the waters off Latin America by next week.
• Over 4,000 sailors and Marines will be part of the deployment, which aims to counter drug cartel operations in the region.
• Adm. Daryl Caudle, the new chief of naval operations, stated that US ships are heading into waters off South America to support "Venezuelan operations and missions" involving drug cartels.
• President Trump has designated Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, MS-13 in El Salvador, and six groups based in Mexico as foreign terrorist organizations, highlighting international connections and operations of these groups.
• Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has denied US accusations of drug trafficking and has called on citizens to join a volunteer militia in case of an attack.
• Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has thanked the US for taking "the right approach" towards the situation in Venezuela, despite some critics arguing that the opposition is manipulating people's hopes with the promise of an invasion.

Statistics:

• Over 4,000 sailors and Marines will be part of the deployment.
• 2 Aegis guided-missile destroyers, 1 destroyer, and 1 cruiser are already present in the region.
• 90% of Venezuelans reject the "announcements and threats" from the US government, according to President Maduro.
• 4.5 million: claimed membership of the volunteer militia by the government (though this figure is likely inflated).
• 6.4 million: claimed votes for President Maduro in the last presidential election (cited as evidence of his loss by the opposition).

Sources:

• Byline: Regina Garcia Cano and Konstantin Toropin
• The United States is boosting its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels with the expected arrival of more vessels next week, an action that will undoubtedly fuel more speculation in Venezuela.
• Adm. Daryl Caudle, the new chief of naval operations, told reporters that U.S. ships are heading into waters off South America to support "Venezuelan operations and missions" that involve drug cartels.
• President Donald Trump has pushed for using the military to thwart cartels he blames for the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into American communities and for perpetuating violence in some U.S. cities.
• Venezuela's U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada met with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and asked him to call on the U.S. government to stop "all its hostile actions and threats".
• Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado appeared on Fox News and thanked Trump administration officials for taking "the right approach" towards the situation in Venezuela.