U.S. Defense Department authorities examination of armed forces activities in the vicinity of Venezuela
In a significant development, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine visited Puerto Rico on Monday. The visit marked the first by senior Pentagon officials since Washington increased its military presence in the Caribbean.
The visit was greeted by Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez, who shared photographs of the meeting on social media platform X. Gonzalez praised the visit, stating it recognizes Puerto Rico's strategic importance for U.S. national security and the fight against drug cartels allegedly supported by Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
The visit, however, has heightened tensions with Venezuela. The current Venezuelan government has condemned the United States' military activities in the Caribbean, especially the deployment of US warships and F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico. Venezuela views these actions as a significant threat to regional peace and security.
Venezuelan officials, including Vice president Delcy Rodriguez, have criticized U.S. actions. Rodriguez questioned the existence of drug cartels in Venezuela and pointed to data showing Venezuela does not produce cocaine. Most trafficking, according to data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, occurs via Pacific routes.
The U.S., however, claimed that a boat sunk in a military strike last week in the Caribbean was carrying illegal narcotics. Congressional members have demanded clarification on the legal basis for the strike, with some questioning how the administration identified the targets and their cargo.
The deployment of 10 F-35 fighter jets to a Puerto Rico airfield for operations targeting drug trafficking adds to an already significant U.S. military presence in the southern Caribbean. U.S. marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are conducting amphibious training and flight operations in Puerto Rico.
President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Defence to be renamed the Department of War, pending congressional approval. If approved, Hegseth's title would change to "Secretary of War."
The Caribbean, designated as a nuclear-weapon-free zone by international treaties, has been a point of contention. Venezuela has called for an immediate end to US military maneuvers and demands credible assurances that nuclear weapons will neither be introduced nor used in the region.
The Pentagon released a video showing Hegseth arriving on the USS Iwo Jima, anchored off Puerto Rico's coast. This activity underscores the growing U.S. military focus in the Caribbean, a region that is becoming increasingly complex in its geopolitical dynamics.
