U.S. Launches 'Southern Spear' as Carrier Ford Enters Caribbean and Pressure on Venezuela Intensifies

Overview

• The Pentagon named the campaign Southern Spear under U.S. Southern Command after the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group moved into the region, expanding naval and air options.
• Officials released few operational details and it remains unclear whether this is a new effort or a rebranded continuation of a task force first referenced in January.
• U.S. forces have carried out about 20 lethal strikes on vessels in international waters since September, with at least 80 people reported killed and no public evidence presented for each target.
• The operation has drawn sharp criticism from the UN and European officials for potential violations of international law, while Washington asserts the targets are narcoterrorist networks.
• Venezuela has mobilized its armed forces and passed a new defense command law, and Trinidad and Tobago announced joint exercises with U.S. forces from Nov. 16–21 as regional tensions rise.