The US has moved to the brink of a full-scale regional confrontation with Venezuela, unveiling Operation Southern Spear while deploying one of the most powerful carrier strike groups ever sent to Latin America.
In a statement on X, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said “today, I’m announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR… this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people.”
He added that “the Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood – and we will protect it.”
The announcement coincided with a US Navy release showing the Gerald R Ford Carrier Strike Group conducting integrated air operations with a US Air Force B-52 on 13 November. The formation included USS Gerald R Ford, three destroyers, and embarked F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, operating as what the Navy described as “a joint, multi-domain force… in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the President’s priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland.”
The deployment is widely viewed as one of the largest American military build-ups in the region in decades. The Ford is expected to take station off Venezuela within days, a move that goes far beyond routine counternarcotics patrols and has drawn speculation about coercive pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government.
SOUTHCOM separately highlighted that US Marines aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima were carrying out artillery training in the Caribbean, describing the activity as aligned with President Trump’s priorities for disrupting drug networks and bolstering homeland defence.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responded on state television, insisting Washington was fabricating a pretext for military action. He said “since they cannot say that we have hidden biological or chemical weapons, they invent a bizarre narrative,” rejecting long-standing US accusations of drug trafficking and warning that the build-up threatens regional stability.
Bombers and Fighters ?
So it’s gone from stopping drugs to a war ? If so it’s bye bye Venezuela’s Armed forces .
This isn’t about drugs. Its about regime change. If it was about drugs they would be bombing Mexico. And blowing up a few boats isn’t going to make the tiniest bit of difference to the drugs trade across the states.
And Venezuela has plenty of oil reserves as well. Probably just a coincidence.
I think this one is about the voter base.. Drugs, oil, communists and a militarily weak nation.. all in the americas, putting that prize on the mantel piece, MAGA will love it.
TACO. What a shower the Yanks are, why on earth are we “in a special relationship” with them? Well by special I mean we spend all our money with them and they use and abuse us. Sounds more like marriage.
Not sure what the issue is, both Mexico and Colombian cartels operate out of Venezuela, and this is the country of release for the movement of vast amount of drugs, not only to the US but also Europe and the UK. In fact the Albanian groups in UK have over the last 5 years plus ensured cheaper drugs in the UK by operating from all 3 main players in South America, and getting the stuff direct without third party involvement ensures cheaper drugs. Also the amount of bent and corrupt organisations in uniform and individuals is rife in Venezuela.
Like or dislike Trump, he is doing what he said he will do, and keeping the promises he made to 80 million yanks who voted for him. Bit like Corbyn, like him or loathe him he sticks to his beliefs (even though I think he is wrong) and does what he says. Shame our shower of shit in charge have neither the balls nor the integrity to do the same. In fact while Trump dominates the worlds stage the UK Government is like some third rate act at the Edinburgh fringe!
To me this ahs the feel that President Chump will wind himself up so far that he will not be able to back out – shades of the Putin build up in early 2022 in Belarus.
I’m not sure there is anything Venezuela can do. Trump is in the toilet domestically, and he will need another distraction.
He won’t give a damn about the rule of law. He launched attacks on International Law very soon after taking office, and is putting the US Constitution into the wood chipper, turning the USA into something more like a Gulf State – a third world country with extra money.
He’s lost UK intelligence cooperation by having his armed forces carry out extrajudicial killings of claimed “boats carrying drugs to the USA” which have nothing like the capability.
And Pantomime Pete Hegseth will love it.