A move that would increase tension in the region came at a time when the US was attacking boats in the Caribbean on the grounds of drug trafficking and experiencing tension with Venezuela. A written statement from the US Navy stated that the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group, led by the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), reached the Caribbean on November 11 and entered the US Southern Command area of responsibility (USSOUTHCOM AOR). It was stated that this step was taken upon the instruction of US President Donald Trump to eliminate international criminal organizations and combat narco-terrorism. It was emphasized that the aircraft carrier strike group would support the forces within the responsibility area of the Joint Task Force established to dismantle criminal networks.
Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said, “The increased US presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will strengthen the capacity to detect, monitor, and block illegal actors and activities that endanger the security and prosperity of the US and the Western Hemisphere. These forces will augment and enhance existing capabilities to interdict drug trafficking, weaken, and eliminate international criminal organizations.”
Tension in the region
The US military has attacked at least 19 boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific so far on the grounds of drug trafficking and killed at least 76 people. The Trump administration argues that the attacks are necessary to stop the flow of drugs to the US. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other Venezuelan officials accuse the US of creating a crisis and trying to overthrow the country’s left-leaning socialist government. Maduro had previously stated in his remarks that the US military buildup in the region was to remove him from power.
France: “US military operations violate international law”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaking at a summit in Canada, said France was concerned that US military operations in the Caribbean violated international law. Minister Barrot said, “We are watching the military operations in the Caribbean region with concern. Because they violate international law and France has a presence in this region through our overseas territories where more than 1 million of our citizens live. Therefore, they could be affected by the instability that any escalation would cause, which we clearly want to prevent.”
