US Sends Gerald R. Ford Carrier Group to Caribbean as Venezuela Orders Mass Mobilization

Overview

• US Southern Command confirmed on Nov. 11 that the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group entered its area of responsibility, operating with three destroyers plus F/A-18 and MH-60 squadrons.
• Venezuela’s Defense Ministry announced a nationwide “massive mobilization” of ground, air, naval, riverine and missile assets, activating the Bolivarian Militia and other defense structures.
• The United Kingdom has paused sharing intelligence on suspected drug-smuggling vessels, and Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro ordered a suspension of cooperation while US boat strikes continue.
• US forces have carried out about 19–20 attacks on small vessels since September, including two on Sunday that killed six people, with reported deaths rising to roughly 76.
• The Pentagon says the deployment targets narcotrafficking and “narcoterrorist” groups, as Russia and rights experts condemn the lethal boat operations as potentially illegal.