Washington Mobilizes Over 10 Warships Around Venezuela Amid Growing Tensions

The waters around Venezuela have become a flashpoint for military tension, as the United States deploys a powerful naval force — including the USS Gerald R. Ford — to the Caribbean Sea in what many analysts see as a dramatic escalation toward Caracas.

Over the past weeks, Washington has surged more than 15,000 troops and 10 major warships into the region, a concentration of firepower not seen in the Western Hemisphere for decades.

The centerpiece of this buildup is the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, now operating under U.S. Southern Command — a deployment officials describe as aimed at disrupting “illicit actors and activities,” especially narcotics trafficking.

But behind the official narrative — and amid ongoing strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels — the force posture has fueled mounting speculation that Washington may be preparing for a broader confrontation with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The arrival of the Ford strike group brings a significant increase in U.S. maritime and strike capabilities, including layered air defense, long-range strike platforms, surveillance, and rapid response forces.

The Pentagon frames the deployment as part of a campaign to dismantle transnational criminal and narcotics networks.

Yet the scale and speed of the buildup — including what amounts to a show of force near Venezuelan territorial waters — have triggered sharp warnings from regional actors, defense analysts, and even global leaders.

In response, Venezuela has mobilized its own forces, deploying warships, drones, and troops along its coastlines and border regions. Caracas has condemned the U.S. deployment as a violation of sovereignty and warned of asymmetrical retaliation should foreign forces attempt military action.

Meanwhile, the broader Caribbean region exhibits growing concerns. The approval of a U.S. radar installation in Trinidad and Tobago has raised fears that neighboring countries could be drawn into a wider conflict — potentially destabilizing regional security and provoking diplomatic fallout.