Overview
- U.S. Southern Command confirmed the USS Gerald R. Ford reached its Caribbean station, joining destroyers, an attack submarine and other assets in a deployment totaling at least 15,000 personnel.
- Since September, U.S. forces have carried out 22 strikes on suspected smuggling boats in international waters, killing at least 83 people, with the latest attack reported over the weekend in the eastern Pacific.
- The operations face mounting legal challenges, including criticism from the UN human rights chief and objections from Democrats and some Republicans who question the administration’s war powers rationale.
- President Trump said he has not ruled out military action against targets in Venezuela and signaled openness to strikes in Mexico, while also suggesting possible talks with Nicolás Maduro.
- Venezuela decries the buildup as a threat, as Washington frames the mission as a campaign against “narco‑terrorists,” leaving regional governments bracing for potential escalation.