Overview
- The Pentagon released the first official images of the USS Gerald R. Ford operating in the region and announced a new anti-narcotics phase called Operación Lanza del Sur under U.S. Southern Command.
- The carrier strike group includes the USS Winston S. Churchill, USS Mahan and USS Bainbridge, supported by F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.
- Satellite and maritime data reported two additional U.S. warships—the destroyer USS Stockdale and cruiser USS Gettysburg—about 50 km off Venezuela’s Falcón coast in international waters.
- Venezuelan officials denounced the deployment, accused Washington of an invasion attempt, and said they are pressing the UN to condemn and demand the withdrawal of U.S. forces.
- Analysts say the visible carrier presence signals a sharp escalation of U.S. military posture in Latin America and raises regional tensions over potential use of force.